#XRPPredictions
Cardano Founder Says Midnight is Going to Be the DeFi Layer of XRP
Hoskinson discussed this during a live AMA session, revealing that he wants Midnight, Cardano’s privacy-focused sidechain, to become the DeFi layer for the XRP ecosystem.
Midnight to Act as the DeFi Layer of XRP
According to the Cardano founder, this move would allow XRP holders and Ripple itself to access better DeFi yields without needing to move their tokens off the XRP Ledger.
As the Cardano ecosystem connects Midnight to the XRP Ledger, it will present DeFi opportunities for XRP holders while keeping their assets safe on the native chain.
A Full XRP DeFi Package
Hoskinson’s plan is part of a broader push to build bridges between blockchain communities rather than create competition. Specifically, he wants Cardano and XRP to work side by side, with Midnight acting as a secure layer that expands XRP’s use cases.
Meanwhile, Hoskinson has also spoken with Ripple’s top executives, including CTO David Schwartz and CEO Brad Garlinghouse, about building a smooth connection between Midnight and the XRP Ledger. These talks aim to combine Cardano’s smart contract tools with XRP’s strength in cross-border payments and deep liquidity.
The Midnight Airdrop
Interestingly, to encourage early adoption, Cardano has launched two airdrop campaigns: the Glacier Drop and the Midnight airdrop. XRP holders who had at least $100 worth of XRP on June 11, 2025, can claim part of the 1.2 billion NIGHT tokens, which power Midnight’s governance.
Notably, Midnight has already gone live on testnet, with developers deploying the first privacy-focused apps late last year. Cardano expects the mainnet launch later in 2025. The sidechain supports multiple blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, and XRPL.
