Intersect, a Cardano membership organization, announced that the highly anticipated Chang hard fork will occur on Sept. 1, according to an Aug. 29 statement shared with CryptoSlate.

Intersect highlighted that the Chang hard fork is a revolutionary step for the ecosystem, marking the final phase of the network’s decentralization process, Voltaire.

Intersect director Jack Briggs emphasized that the upgrade is the culmination of two years of collaborative efforts involving thousands of people who have participated in workshops, committees, and governance testing on the SanchoNet testnet.

Briggs added:

“The upgrades [will] enhance Cardano’s decentralization, marking a new frontier for the blockchain and all its participants. The upgrades will introduce minimum-viable-on-chain decision-making to all ada holders.

First upgrade

The hard fork includes two upgrades. The first upgrade initiates the technical bootstrapping process, which has been ongoing for the past 10 weeks and involves the hard fork working group.

The group has been reviewing progress, ensuring desired thresholds, and preparing the ecosystem for the hard fork. They have raised necessary governance actions and signed off on the hard fork, which will be the last of its kind before ADA holders take control.

Notably, the transaction to trigger Chang #1 upgrade on the Cardano mainnet was submitted a few hours ago. Nicolas Serny, a governance lead at the Cardano Foundation, stated:

“This milestone officially ushers us into the Conway era, beginning in epoch 507 on September 1, 2024, at 21:45 UTC.”

Second upgrade

Three months from now, Cardano will enter the #2 Chang upgrade with approval from the Interim Constitutional Committee (ICC) and Stake Pool Operators (SPOs). This phase will transition the network from its technical bootstrapping stage to active participation.

The upgrade will activate advanced governance features, including decentralized representatives (DReps) and governance tools for broader participation. These enhancements will fully transition Cardano to a community-driven decision-making model.

Once Chang #1 is complete, DReps can register on the mainnet and gather delegations in anticipation of Chang #2.

Dan Gambardello, a Cardano enthusiast, described this phase as a paradigm shift in blockchain governance. He stated:

“With such a governance model, Cardano could very well redefine what it means to be a leading blockchain, potentially attracting more developers, users, and investors. No longer will Cardano be seen as yet another project run by some large organization; it will be a community-driven powerhouse.”

Intersect, a Cardano membership organization, has proposed the Chang hard fork for implementation on Aug. 27.

In an Aug. 20 post, Intersect explained that its proposal was based on a thorough review of the project’s progress, community feedback, and the Chang hard fork working group’s sentiments. It stated:

“SPO-readiness was confirmed last week, the exchange liquidity metric is good and improving, and we have been receiving positive readiness updates from many leading DApps.”

However, the date remains tentative, pending a final decision on Aug. 23. Intersect noted that the timeline could shift if unexpected issues arise, with Sept. 3 as an alternative window.

This update follows the Node 9.1 upgrade, which marked the final step before the Chang hard fork.

According to Cardanoscan, 80% of stake pool operators (SPOs) have adopted Node 9.1.0, meeting the threshold required for the hard fork. However, liquidity is still a concern, with only 34% of exchanges adopting the upgrade—well below the 80% target.

Chang hard fork

The Chang hard fork will introduce significant changes to Cardano’s software, rendering it incompatible with previous versions. So, the community’s meticulous planning for this upgrade is understandable, as it presents a key milestone in the blockchain network’s journey toward the Voltaire era.

Named after the late Cardano evangelist Phil Chang, the Chang upgrade will give Cardano holders a more direct role in the network’s governance. In this era, ADA holders can now actively participate in decisions that shape the platform’s future, marking a critical step in Cardano’s path to full decentralization.

Additionally, the upgrade will enhance smart contracts, particularly with the introduction of the PlutusV3 cryptographic primitive, which aims to bolster data security on the network.

Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has emphasized the importance of this upgrade, calling it “the most significant milestone” in the crypto industry’s history.

He pointed out that the move will make,

“Cardano a decentralized civilization spanning the entire world with millions of residents. We’ll have the most advanced blockchain governance system, annual budgets, a treasury, and the wisdom of our entire community to guide us.”

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Cardano network’s highly anticipated Node 9.0.0 has launched to much acclaim on July 8.

According to its GitHub document:

“Node 9.0.0 is a major release of the Cardano node that contains all the changes that are needed for the Conway ledger era, including on-chain governance via CIP-1694, support for Plutus v1 reference scripts, and Plutus script signature support via CIP-69.”

Why Node 9.0.0 is important for Cardano

In a July 8 video on social media platform X, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson emphasized Node 9.0.0’s importance. He explained that it lays the groundwork for the Chang hard fork, significantly altering the blockchain network’s structure.

Hoskinson said:

“Node 9.0.0 basically means Cardano has the best, the most decentralized and I hope the most effective decentralized government in the entire cryptocurrency industry.”

However, Hoskinson noted that Stake Pool Operators (SPOs) need to independently test the new node and upgrade before the network can perform the Chang hard fork. So, with at least 70% or more SPOs upgraded, a hard fork date will be set for the network to transition into Chang.

Data from Cardanoscan shows that exchanges and stake pools are not yet ready for the hard fork as of press time.

Chang hard fork

The Chang hard fork marks the culmination of a multiyear effort to transfer project ownership from Cardano Foundation, EMURGO, and Input-Output Global to the community. This move will transform the blockchain into a self-sustaining entity with features like on-chain voting and participant rights.

In this era, Chang will introduce Delegate Representatives (DReps), elected by Cardano token holders. These representatives will draft a Cardano Constitution, becoming the network’s supreme governing law. Once approved, DReps will propose changes in accordance with the constitution.

Hoskinson reflected on the significance of this move, saying it would help Cardano become the most scalable ecosystem within the next 24 months because “governance is the key differentiating feature.”

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