A First in Cardano History: Governance Completely Handed Over via Van Rossum Hard Fork
With the Van Rossem hard fork, Cardano has successfully implemented an update managed entirely by the community instead of the founding company for the first time in its history.
The popular blockchain network Cardano (ADA) reached a major milestone with the Van Rossum hard fork that took place on Saturday, July 18. Activating at 21:44 UTC, this update moved the network’s protocol version from 10 to 11. The most striking aspect of this development is that the process was conducted entirely through on-chain governance mechanisms rather than Input Output, the network’s founding engineering firm.
Approval from three different groups was required for the update. Delegated Representatives (DReps) voted “yes” at a rate of 78.97%, while all members of the Constitutional Committee found the change appropriate. Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), who run the infrastructure, gave their approval with a narrower margin of 53.02%. This situation became the most concrete proof that Cardano has now taken on a decentralized structure and that decisions are made directly by ADA holders.
Lower Smart Contract Costs and Scalability
On the technical side, the aim is to reduce smart contract costs through improvements made to the Plutus platform. This will allow applications such as DeFi protocols and NFT marketplaces to operate more economically. Furthermore, this update prepares the necessary infrastructure for Ouroboros Leios, a scalability move expected in 2026 that will significantly increase the network’s transaction capacity.
Although an immediate change in wallets or transaction fees will not be felt for the average user, the transfer of network control to the community reinforces long-term trust. Named in memory of the late governance volunteer Max van Rossem, this hard fork certified Cardano’s transformation into a self-governing ecosystem. The high level of participation in events and community support also highlights the interest in this new era of the network.