TL;DR
- Massive Airdrop: Charles Hoskinson announces the Glacier Drop, distributing Midnight tokens to 37 million wallets across eight major blockchains, bypassing traditional insiders and VCs.
- Dual Token Model: The airdrop features two tokens, NIGHT for governance and DUST for private transactions, designed to empower users without conditions.
- Decentralization Drive: This initiative challenges crypto tribalism, fostering a more inclusive, decentralized ecosystem where control is returned to everyday users.
Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano, is changing the crypto scene with a new airdrop that bypasses traditional insiders and venture capitalists. He introduced the ‘Glacier Drop’ at Consensus 2025, planning to give Midnight tokens to 37 million wallets on eight blockchains.
Thanks @CoinDesk for explaining how novel is the @MidnightNtwrk Glacier Drop and how it embraces ecosystems by airdropping $NIGHT to 37 millions wallets across top-tier L1 blockchains.🖖#Confidentiality #Compliance #ZK #SelectiveDisclosure 🔐https://t.co/EU9ekF3cE7
— Romain Pellerin🇫🇷🇺🇸 (@rom1_pellerin) May 14, 2025
Massive Glacier Drop to Empower Users
The Glacier Drop is at the heart of Cardano’s latest initiative, Midnight, a privacy-focused sidechain designed to establish a new norm for decentralized ecosystems. Rather than directing tokens to initial investors or venture capitalists, Charles Hoskinson is committed to empowering ordinary users directly.
By targeting 37 million wallets on major networks such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, XRP, Solana, and others, this move ensures that the broad spectrum of blockchain communities participates in the network’s evolution.
Two native tokens will be released: NIGHT, which will function as a governance token, and DUST, designed for private transactions. Participants will have the freedom to trade, hold, or use their tokens in the emerging ecosystem, with no strings attached.
Rejecting Crypto Tribalism & Fostering Cooperative Economics
Charles Hoskinson’s announcement wasn’t just about numbers; it was a clarion call for a unified crypto community. He took a decisive stance against the entrenched practice of rewarding select insiders and venture capitalists, proclaiming that his time was better spent building a system for the people. “No VCs, no strings attached,” Charles Hoskinson declared, emphasizing that this airdrop is designed to nurture true decentralization.
His vision is clear: dismantle the competitive, siloed mentality that has long fractured the blockchain space and instead promote cooperative economics. Midnight’s cross-chain compatibility allows developers to build decentralized applications while paying fees in their native tokens, paving the way for smoother, frictionless interactions between disparate networks.
The Glacier Drop represents more than just a distribution of tokens, it’s a statement of intent. By empowering millions of wallets and ensuring that token ownership is fully in the hands of retail users, Charles Hoskinson is laying the groundwork for a more open and inclusive digital future.
