Cardano completes Van Rossem hard fork, first fully on-chain governance upgrade

Input Output Global/Cardano & Ouroboros Leios

Cardano successfully executed the Van Rossem hard fork at block 15,181,176 on July 18, 2026, completing the first on-chain governance hard fork in the network's history. Delegated representatives voted 77.6% in favor, stake pools approved with 52.7%, and the constitutional committee voted 6-0-0-1. The upgrade reduced Plutus costs, enhanced security, and introduced BLS12-381 cryptographic tools.