Cardano's Midnight token NIGHT surges 159% to $0.048 in October

$NIGHT: NIGHT serves as the native token of the Midnight blockchain, a Cardano-linked privacy network designed for secure data handling and private computations. It has experienced significant price recovery in September and early October 2026 amid progress toward smart contract enablement. The token’s momentum reflects growing interest in privacy-preserving features ahead of mainnet upgrades. Cardano: Cardano is a blockchain platform founded by Charles Hoskinson focused on research-driven development and scalable infrastructure for decentralized applications. Midnight operates as a specialized privacy-focused partner chain within the broader Cardano ecosystem. The project’s recent token activity ties directly to advancements in its sidechain capabilities for private transactions and smart contracts. Charles Hoskinson: Charles Hoskinson is the founder of Cardano and Input Output Global, actively guiding development across its ecosystem including privacy initiatives. In late September 2026 he publicly stated that Midnight could become larger than Zcash by leveraging selective disclosure, private agents, and cross-chain DeFi tools. His comments have amplified attention on Midnight’s ongoing technical roadmap. Privacy Focus: Midnight emphasizes selective disclosure and private smart contracts to support institutional and DeFi use cases while maintaining data confidentiality across connected networks. Upgrade Roadmap: Midnight Foundation CTO Sebastien Guillemot recently outlined that the v8 release will enable private smart contracts on mainnet, with v9 composability upgrades expected later in 2026. Ecosystem Partnerships: Midnight has attracted operators including Google Cloud and partnerships for tokenized assets, positioning it for enterprise adoption of privacy tools.