Cardano’s 2026 Protocol Version 11 ’van Rossem’ Hard Fork: Intersect Group Proposes Major Evolution

Cardano's roadmap just got a name and a number. The blockchain's governance body, Intersect's Hard Fork Working Group, is pushing to brand its next major upgrade—slated for 2026—as Protocol Version 11, the "van Rossem" hard fork.

What's in a Name?

Forget dry technical labels. The proposed "van Rossum" moniker—a nod to Python creator Guido van Rossum—signals an ambition for foundational, elegant code. It's a statement of intent: this isn't just another update; it's a calculated architectural leap.

The Mechanics of Momentum

Hard forks are blockchain heart surgeries—risky, complex, and defining. This one aims to cut through technical debt and bypass current limitations, setting the stage for the next decade of decentralized finance. The working group's proposal is the first formal step, kicking off a marathon of community debate, stakeholder votes, and developer mobilization.

Why 2026 Matters

Timing is everything. A 2026 launch positions Cardano's evolution in a market cycle where proven, scalable infrastructure will be the only currency that matters. While speculators chase the next meme coin, this upgrade focuses on the unsexy bedrock: security, throughput, and governance. It’s the ultimate counter-trade against hype—building when others are distracted.

The proposal lands as a stark reminder: in crypto, the real alpha isn't just holding the asset, but understanding the code that gives it value. The "van Rossem" fork isn't merely a version bump; it's a multi-year bet on Cardano's foundational resilience. Now, the network decides if it's ready to place that bet.

Max plays a key role in the first Constitutional Committee election 

DRep van Rossen served as both a member and a co-lead of the Constitutional Committee Election Working Group, which oversaw the first fully elected Constitutional Committee (CC). He was also integral in the network’s founding governance documents as a delegate representing the Dutch Cardano community at the Constitutional Convention in Buenos Aires, Brazil. Max is one of the major driving forces behind the inclusion of Article VIII in the Cardano constitution. 

Additionally, Max founded AdaMoments, a project that allowed ADA holders to preserve their personal histories by storing images, videos, and text as permanent moments on the Cardano ecosystem. He also facilitated meetups and connected people across the Cardano blockchain as a member of the Dutch community. 

Meanwhile, Intersect announced the proposed hard fork to Protocol Version 11 late last year. The upgrade is expected to introduce improvements to node security, ledger consistency, and Plutus’s performance without requiring a transition to a new ledger era. These updates will include enhancements to reference input rules, the uniqueness of the VRF key, and Plutus primitives. The changes represent the next tranche of treasury-funded development for the Cardano ecosystem.

Cardano opens polls to confirm hard fork name 

The Hard Fork Working Group has launched a poll where Cardano community members will vote on the proposed name for the hard fork. The poll will run from January 13 to February 14, 2026. Participating DReps are required to deposit a minimum of 100,000 ADA to vote, and so far, eight DReps have voted YES, representing 1.57% (91.24M ADA) of the total stake (14.16B ADA). The last vote was cast over 20 minutes ago as of publication.

Meanwhile, the final vote will be forwarded to the Technical Steering Committee (TSC) for review and ratification. The hard fork working group will also FORM a think tank and meet fortnightly to discuss and coordinate matters related to the hard fork. The upcoming hard fork requires network-wide coordination, but with a much lower integration burden than during era transitions.

All other hard fork-related information will be communicated later through the Intersect Knowledge Base. An open Intersect working group will also be formed to include community members who want to participate in the current and future mainnet hard forks. 

The latest proposed upgrade will introduce improvements without transitioning into a new ledger era, keeping Cardano within the same ledger era, currently Conway. The intra-era hard fork introduces fixes, refinements, optimizations, and other new features that do not require an era transition.  

These new changes will collectively enhance script performance, reduce execution costs, and expand the capabilities of builders within the Cardano network. They will also improve governance correctness and transparency.

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