TL;DR:
- The Intersect organization confirmed the delivery of the van Rossem hard fork to the preview testnet.
- Cardano node 11.0.1 enables the upgrade to protocol version 11 following a governance vote.
- The upgrade requires 85% of stake pools (SPOs) to update their software before ratification.
The Cardano network has begun a decisive technical phase with the implementation of the van Rossem hard fork on its preview testnet. Information revealed by Intersect indicates that this move marks the beginning of the deployment of node version 11.0.1, an essential requirement for the mainnet transition.
ATTENTION š£
The van Rossem Hard Fork GA has been submitted to the Preview test network today.https://t.co/a49iLgG3e3
Cardano Node version 11.0.1 Pre-Release is also now available. This version is an essential requirement to safely cross the hard fork. SPOs, DApps andā¦ pic.twitter.com/UotUWDtuet
— Intersect (@IntersectMBO) May 5, 2026
Version 11.0.1 is the first release to support an “intra-era” hard fork. This means that although the protocol scales to a higher version, the ledger technically remains within the Conway era. Report data indicates that this approach seeks to minimize the upgrade effort for developers and decentralized applications (DApps), as the transaction structure will not undergo modifications.
Technical Improvements and Plutus Optimization
The update integrates a set of improvements focused on Plutus performance, ledger consistency, and node-level security. According to Intersect, the change unifies functions built into versions V1, V2, and V3 of the network’s smart contract language. This would allow recently introduced capabilities to be available retroactively for old scripts, expanding development tools without breaking compatibility.
The final deployment on the mainnet is expected to occur once the governance action is voted on by SPOs, Delegate Representatives (DReps), and the Constitutional Committee. Cardano’s technical records detail that the release also elevates the cardano-api and cardano-cli tools to their 11.0 series, while also establishing an experimental goal for protocol version 12 in future testing stages.
The secure transition to protocol version 11 depends on ecosystem coordination. Intersect developers urged node operators on the preview network to perform the update as soon as possible to validate software stability. Network regulations establish that 85% of active stake pool participation must operate under the new node before the change is effectively executed on the blockchain.
Based on the specifications of CIPs (Cardano Improvement Proposals) 0109, 0132, and 0153, this update seeks to strengthen the internal interoperability of the protocol. The documentation suggests that the unification of functions will reduce technical friction for projects operating with previous versions of Plutus, optimizing resource consumption in contract execution.
