The hard fork activation is a significant positive development for the cardano network, showcasing its governance capabilities and laying the groundwork for future upgrades. however, the 'golden cross' on the 1-hour chart is a short-term indicator and the price has not yet shown a strong reaction, indicating a moderate immediate impact.
The hard fork is a fundamental upgrade that should boost confidence and utility in the cardano network long-term. while the short-term price reaction is muted, the successful implementation of such a crucial upgrade, coupled with a golden cross (even on a short timeframe), suggests potential for upward price movement once the market fully digests the news and breaks past key resistance levels.
The full benefits of a hard fork, especially one that lays the foundation for future upgrades like the dijkstra era, tend to play out over a longer period as developers integrate new features and users experience improved network performance and capabilities.
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. Cardano has completed a golden cross on its short-term chart, with the signal appearing on the 1-hour timeframe. The MA 50 rose above the MA 200 in a crossover on the hourly chart, confirming a "golden cross." Advertisement The signal coincided with a significant milestone on the Cardano network : the first hard fork approved entirely through onchain governance was activated on the mainnet. According to Intersect , the V11 (van Rossem) hard fork has officially gone live on the Cardano mainnet. It is the first hard fork that DReps have been able to vote on, in addition to SPOs and the CC. The hard fork activates Protocol Version 11 and marks Cardano's first upgrade approved entirely through onchain governance. HOT Stories What Could Ignite $100K Bitcoin Rally? Novogratz Names Three Factors XRP's Price Health Is on the Line, Did Shiba Inu (SHIB) Finally Bottom? Ethereum's (ETH) Mini-Golden Cross: Crypto Market Review van Rossem hard fork update 🍴 The van Rossem hard fork has been successfully enacted on Cardano Mainnet! 🎉 We would like to take a moment to recognise the work of the Hard Forking Working Group to get us to this moment. Coordinating ecosystem partners, SPOs, DApps,… pic.twitter.com/SSleGfA5zE — Intersect (@IntersectMBO) July 18, 2026 Aside from Plutus improvements and Plutus Cost Model enhancements, this upgrade lays the foundation for the next upgrade, the Dijkstra era hard fork, which will introduce Ouroboros Leios to Cardano. Enhanced primitives, VRF key uniqueness, and updated reference input rules were also introduced through the hard fork. Advertisement You Might Also Like Sat, 07/18/2026 - 11:00 All Eyes on Cardano as Major Hard Fork Goes Live in Hours By Tomiwabold Olajide Cardano explorer 'cexplorer' also reported Cardano's V11 (van Rossem) hard fork going live on the mainnet and confirmed that everything went smoothly. Advertisement What's next for ADA price? At the time of writing, ADA was up 0.55% in the last 24 hours to $0.165, with the price barely changed amid the short-term golden cross. Cardano's price has flatlined below the daily MA 50, a key indicator for momentum. ADA/USD Hourly Chart, Image By TradingView ADA price attempted to break above this level twice in July. ADA saw a rise at the start of July, testing the daily MA 50 where it met resistance. This same scenario is playing out, with price pulling at the daily MA 50 but still unable to surpass it. You Might Also Like Tue, 07/14/2026 - 09:10 Cardano's 3.5-Year Record: How Millionaire Wallets Are Absorbing All ADA in Circulation By Gamza Khanzadaev Cardano's price remains locked in a range, with a breakout above the daily MA 50 at $0.168 necessary to regain momentum. If this is achieved, ADA will aim at $0.256, which is the daily MA 200. Support is expected near $0.13 if the price declines. #Cardano News #Cardano