Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson announced that the team is entering a crucial development phase for the Midnight project, with internal workshops scheduled for January 2026. Hoskinson compared the initiative to the Manhattan Project, highlighting its focus on privacy-enhancing technology, chain abstraction, and smart compliance. He clarified that Midnight is designed as a privacy layer for the Cardano ecosystem, not a replacement for ADA. The project has progressed beyond the conceptual stage, with documentation and community engagement accelerating.