Cardano Welcomes New Smart Contract Release Ahead of Intra-Era Hard Fork
Analysis
Price Impact
MedThe release of plutus 1.58.0.0 and the upcoming intra-era hard fork (protocol version 11, named van rossem hard fork) are positive developments for cardano's smart contract capabilities and network stability. these are incremental upgrades that enhance existing functionality rather than introducing entirely new, disruptive features. while positive, the impact might be medium as it builds upon existing infrastructure and the market might have already priced in routine network upgrades.
Trustworthiness
HighThe information comes from official-sounding sources like 'cardano updates' (an x handle dedicated to releases) and intersect, a cardano entity, as well as specific version numbers (plutus 1.58.0.0, node v.10.6.2, protocol version 11) and named events (van rossem hard fork). this level of detail suggests a high degree of reliability.
Price Direction
BullishThe continuous development and release of new versions for smart contract languages and network upgrades are generally bullish for a cryptocurrency. these updates aim to improve performance, stability, and security, which are key factors for adoption and investor confidence. the naming of the hard fork also suggests community engagement.
Time Effect
ShortThe article mentions specific upcoming releases and testing phases (node 10.7.0 within two weeks, sanchonet upgrade, preprod and mainnet deployment). this indicates that the effects of these updates are likely to be felt in the short to medium term as they are implemented and their benefits become apparent.
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Cover image via U.Today Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by our writers are their own and do not represent the views of U.Today. The financial and market information provided on U.Today is intended for informational purposes only. U.Today is not liable for any financial losses incurred while trading cryptocurrencies. Conduct your own research by contacting financial experts before making any investment decisions. We believe that all content is accurate as of the date of publication, but certain offers mentioned may no longer be available. Read U.TODAY on Google News Plutus, the native smart contract language for Cardano , has welcomed a new release as the network prepares for its intra-era hard fork. Advertisement According to Cardano updates , an X handle dedicated to Cardano releases and updates, a new version of Plutus, 1.58.0.0, has been released. This follows efforts by Cardano's core technology teams to expand Plutus built-in functionality scheduled for activation in protocol version 11 alongside stability improvements across networking and mempool handling. HOT Stories Crypto Market Review: Shiba Inu Price Momentum Returns In New Uptrend, Is Ethereum (ETH) Stuck in the Mud? Bitcoin Isn't Giving Up on $70,000 Ripple Secures Major Partnership With Deutsche Bank, XRP Price Breaks Key Support, Binance’s CZ Reveals His Role In UAE’s Bitcoin Mining Milestone — Crypto News Digest New Release: plutus 1.58.0.0 Check it out here: https://t.co/1ZXyy5p92K?from=article-links Released by zliu41 - input-output-hk #Cardano $ADA #Koios #API — Cardano Updates (@cardano_updates) February 21, 2026 Cardano's next protocol upgrade is an intra-era hard fork to protocol version 11, introducing targeted improvements across Plutus performance, ledger consistency and node-level security. All these will occur without changing transaction shape or transitioning to a new ledger era. Advertisement You Might Also Like Tue, 02/10/2026 - 12:06 Cardano Launches 'Major' Mainnet Upgrade, Triggers 30% Faster Sync By Godfrey Benjamin This week, node v.10.6.2 was released in preparation for the intra-era hard fork. Additionally, foundational work was added to support the upcoming intra-era hard fork (protocol version 11) and the future Dijkstra era (protocol version 12), preparing the node for the next phase of protocol evolution. Advertisement Cardano hard fork update Cardano's intra-era hard fork to protocol 11 has been officially confirmed as van Rossem hard fork, Intersect stated this in a Feb. 19 update. Over the past week, the hard fork naming info action ended voting with final tallies putting the DRep support at over 80% of all active DRep stake. This represents overwhelming support, officially confirming the protocol version 11 hard fork as the van Rossem hard fork. Cardano node version 10.6.2 was released this week (promoted from the 10.6.2 pre-release containing hard fork functionality, which can be tested on SanchoNet). This release contains improvements that strengthen node stability and networking. The 10.6.2 release is not intended to be the mainnet hard fork candidate release; 10.7 will have further improvements, making it the target for the hard fork. SanchoNet has been upgraded using the newly-released Cardano node 10.6.2 and is now running protocol version 11. There is also an accompanying DB-Sync pre-release available, which supports hard forking to protocol version 11. The Cardano node 10.7.0 release is targeted for within the next two weeks. This node release will be used for fork preview, preprod and then the Cardano mainnet. #Cardano News #Cardano