Cardano infrastructure group Intersect has released fresh details on the impending Cardano Node 10.7.0 upgrade — a critical step toward the Van Rossem hard fork and the activation of Protocol Version 11, which promises notable smart contract and node-performance improvements.
Pre-release Imminent, Testing First
In an update on X, Intersect said a 10.7.0 pre-release is expected “in the next few days.” The team clarified that benchmarking alone won’t block the pre-release: the decision hinges primarily on performance results and integration testing. Intersect also noted that further minor releases are likely to follow the initial pre-release, and that the pre-release build can be used for feature testing.
Technical and compatibility notes
- A DBSync compatible with Node 10.7.0 is expected soon after the node release, easing syncing and data access for nodes and tooling.
- There are no serialization changes in this upgrade, so hardware wallets should not be impacted.
- Once validated, the 10.7.x line will be promoted to Protocol V11 to fork the Preview and PrePod testnets and later the mainnet.
Plutus improvements: new built-ins arriving with V11
Protocol Version 11 has a major developer focus: expanding Plutus, Cardano’s smart-contract platform. Intersect outlined several new Plutus built-in functions coming with the fork (CIP references included):
- CIP-138 — Array type
- CIP-153 — MaryEraValue type
- CIP-109 — Modular exponentiation builtin
- CIP-132 — dropList builtin
- CIP-133 — Multi-scalar multiplication over BLS12-381
These built-ins are already available for testing: SanchNet has been upgraded to Protocol Version 11, and Scalus’ smart-contract tooling has been updated to support the new primitives ahead of the hard fork.
Wider ecosystem outlook: 2026 looks busy for Cardano
Market analytics platform TapTools described 2026 as potentially “one of Cardano’s most important years,” citing a string of bullish catalysts stacked for the calendar year: the Van Rossem hard fork, the Midnight mainnet (privacy features), the CLARITY Act (regulatory clarity), the Ouroboros Leios upgrade, and additional CNT listings.
Regulatory clarity could be a particular tailwind. The U.S. SEC has previously stated Cardano is a digital commodity, not a security; supporters say the CLARITY Act would further cement that status and could make the network more attractive to institutional investors.
ETF prospects and market snapshot
Cardano ETFs are also expected to advance this year — Grayscale has already filed for an ADA ETF and its application is reportedly well along in the approval process. Proponents argue such funds could channel new institutional capital into ADA.
At the time of writing, ADA is trading near $1.38, down just over 2%, according to CoinMarketCap.
Takeaway
The Node 10.7.0 pre-release and the move toward Protocol V11 mark a clear technical step toward richer Plutus capabilities and better node performance. With testnets already exercising new built-ins and multiple ecosystem upgrades on the roadmap for 2026, Cardano’s next phase will be closely watched by developers, exchanges, and institutional investors alike.
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