The Cardano blockchain has activated its much-anticipated “Van Rossem” V11 hard fork on the Preview testnet, marking a major step toward its upcoming mainnet upgrade. As the testing phase unfolds, the PreProd network enters final checks to ensure infrastructure and development teams are prepared ahead of a decisive mainnet vote, which is now scheduled for May 29.
V11 hard fork active on Preview testnet
Intersect, Cardano’s coordination group, announced that the V11 upgrade went live on the Preview testnet following a governance proposal initiated on May 8. This move allows developers and service providers to experiment with smart contracts, updated system features, and new functionalities in a near-real environment.
With the V11 upgrade, smart contracts are expected to run faster and at lower costs. Stronger cryptographic techniques have also been introduced, and additional safeguards have been implemented to improve stake pool security across the Cardano ecosystem.
Intersect stated, “With this update, executing smart contracts on the network has become both cheaper and more efficient, cryptography has been strengthened, and pool security has been tightened.”
The Preview testnet also serves as a dry run for future governance steps. Project teams are closely monitoring network behavior to evaluate whether the system is fully prepared for public deployment.
A key component of this process is the adoption of node software version v11.0.1, which operators must upgrade to in order to safely transition through the hard fork threshold. This node version has already been available for several weeks, allowing infrastructure teams to complete their preparations. The DB-Sync v13.7.0.5 release further ensures compatibility throughout the upgrade cycle.
Final checks ongoing in PreProd phase
The PreProd environment has not yet completed its processes. On May 16, a new Plutus Cost Model update—modifying several key parameters—was activated. As a result, developers are urged to retest their applications and configurations before Cardano’s move to mainnet.
Records show that hard fork operations on PreProd have been documented on-chain, but the expert group known as the Hard Fork Working Group clarified that final approval remains pending. The team is awaiting fixes for last-minute issues, particularly within services linked to the Ogmios infrastructure.
A seamless PreProd-to-mainnet transition will depend on the resolution of critical software requests. Collaboration between the Cardano community and Input Output engineers is seen as vital to completing preparations for the upgrade.
Weekly team meetings continue as developers track the readiness of wallets, network tools, and service providers to ensure alignment ahead of the mainnet vote.
Mainnet vote set for May 29
The Cardano team plans to announce the timeline and technical details for the Plutus Cost Model mainnet update in the coming week. The new cost model’s performance results will be published before the vote, providing clear evidence of the network’s readiness for the upgrade.
Cardano’s upgrade vote for the V11 hard fork is scheduled for May 29. However, the timeline remains subject to possible adjustments based on the outcome of final testnet checks and any last-minute ecosystem developments.
The “Van Rossem” upgrade is named after Max van Rossem, a prominent governance contributor who represented the Dutch Cardano community. His active involvement in the Constitution Committee Election Working Group and the drafting of the Cardano Constitution has played a foundational role in shaping Cardano’s governance structure.
