Cardano's Hydra protocol is now live on the Midnight Network, enhancing transaction speed and reducing costs. This development marks a significant advancement in Cardano's scalability and efficiency. Charles Hoskinson, Cardano's founder, has set a target for Midnight to become the largest private smart contract platform by 2026. The integration of Hydra on the mainnet is a crucial step in Cardano's growth, with a 44.6% increase in new contract deployments in Q3, reflecting heightened developer interest. Midnight, a privacy-focused partner chain, is designed to provide scalable and secure smart contract solutions, potentially bolstering Cardano's competitive edge in the blockchain sector.