Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano, has announced the launch of the NIGHT token, the native token for Cardano's privacy-focused sidechain, Midnight. The token will officially launch on December 8, 2025, and will be distributed to eligible recipients and listed on multiple exchanges. The distribution will occur in four 25% tranches over 12 months, with the remainder unlocked every 90 days. The Midnight airdrop is currently in the Scavenger Mine phase, ending on November 19, and the full 24 billion NIGHT supply has already been minted. Hoskinson also revealed Midnight's development roadmap, which includes a federated mainnet launch in Q1 2026 and an incentivized testnet in Q2 2026. This strategic rollout aims to enhance Cardano's ecosystem with a focus on privacy and scalability.