Can Cardano regain its momentum in 2026? Will the Midnight and Ouroboros upgrades become turning points?

【Crypto World】2025 will not be friendly to Cardano. ADA has experienced a decline of over 60%. While the entire market is adjusting, Cardano also faces regulatory setbacks such as the failure of the CLARITY bill. However, within the ecosystem, there are different views for next year.

From a technical perspective, major events are indeed stacking up. The Midnight privacy sidechain is about to go live, and its native token NIGHT briefly surpassed a $1 billion market cap when it was first issued. Although it has since pulled back, this decline is considered just volatility rather than a trend reversal.

The upcoming highlights include core network upgrades like Ouroboros Leios, along with the integration of Bitcoin DeFi ecosystem and infrastructure optimization. According to plans, these actions should provide new growth points for NIGHT and the entire ecosystem.

Of course, short-term price fluctuations are inevitable, but from the perspective of ecosystem participants, long-term fundamentals are the key to success or failure. The emergence of structural challenges is instead interpreted as a market clearing process, paving the way for healthier growth. Whether this is the case or just excessive optimism, the answer will be clear in 2026.