Cardano founder predicts privacy simulation could become most-used application
Charles Hoskinson, Input Output founder, said Midnight.city is preparing for a new beta-testing phase with thousands of testers, positioning the privacy-focused application as a candidate for crypto’s most-used platform by 2030.
Midnight.city functions as the public-facing simulation layer for Midnight, a privacy-oriented blockchain tied to the Cardano ecosystem. The platform hosts autonomous AI agents that work, trade, and interact within a live environment, generating ongoing economic activity. Users can inspect transactions from three disclosure perspectives: public mode, auditor mode, and “god mode.”
“I’m super excited about the next iteration of Midnight.city,” Hoskinson said. “We will have thousands of beta testers coming online soon and gather incredible feedback about how to improve and refine the experience and utility of the world. It’s the largest and most meaningful focus group ever done.”
Midnight emphasizes programmable privacy, selective disclosure, and predictable costs. The network uses zero-knowledge proofs and a dual-state ledger model. NIGHT serves as the unshielded native and governance token, while DUST is a shielded, non-transferable resource for transaction fees and smart contract execution.
The Compact programming language allows developers to build privacy-preserving applications without deep zero-knowledge cryptography expertise, lowering barriers to application development on Midnight.
Hoskinson outlined an accelerated development roadmap. “Combined with two week sprints, within a few months we’ll be well on our way to a new civilization,” he said. “One that’s crypto native, has privacy at the core, and evolves in weeks instead of decades. I predict Midnight.city will be the most used crypto application by 2030.”
The expansion into thousands of beta testers represents Input Output’s approach to refining design and user experience before broader rollout. The source did not specify an exact launch date for the new phase or name individual team members leading development.
