Get Started with Midnight
Midnight's Kukolu mainnet is live. Here is everything you need to start using the network — whether you are an end user, a developer, or just curious.
Kukolu Mainnet is Live. Midnight launched on mainnet in March 2026. Real DUST tokens, real transactions, real privacy — on a production network secured by the Cardano validator set.
What You Need
Three things to get up and running on Midnight mainnet.
Midnight Lace Wallet
The official wallet for Midnight — a fork of the Cardano Lace wallet with ZK proof generation built in. Required to sign Midnight transactions and interact with DApps. Available at midnight.iohk.io.
DUST Tokens
DUST is the native token used to pay transaction fees on Midnight. Obtain DUST from supported exchanges or bridge from Cardano. Keep a small balance to cover gas costs.
A Midnight-Compatible DApp
Explore the growing DApp ecosystem built on Kukolu mainnet, or build your own using the Midnight SDK and the Compact smart contract language.
How to Get DUST
DUST is the native fee token on Midnight. Unlike ADA on Cardano, DUST is used exclusively to pay for transaction fees — it is a utility token that keeps the network running.
- →Supported exchanges — DUST is listed on select cryptocurrency exchanges. Check the official Midnight site for current listings.
- →Network staking rewards — node operators and delegators can earn DUST through the Midnight staking system.
- →Developer incentive programs — IOG and the Midnight ecosystem have grant programs for early builders deploying production DApps.
For Developers
Build privacy-first DApps without needing a cryptography background.
Compact Language
Midnight smart contracts are written in Compact — a TypeScript-like language that compiles to ZK circuits. Familiar syntax, no cryptography PhD required.
Midnight SDK
The official SDK provides tools for writing contracts, generating ZK proofs, and building full-stack DApps. Full documentation available at docs.midnight.network.
Testnet (Devnet)
A developer testnet (devnet) remains available for experimentation. Use it with test DUST to iterate quickly before deploying to Kukolu mainnet.
Ready to go deeper?