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Cardano Launches Dijkstra Testnet for Protocol Upgrade to Version 12

Cardano has opened the Dijkstra public testnet as it prepares for a major protocol upgrade to version 12 with node 11.2.

Cardano has opened the Dijkstra public testnet as it prepares for a major protocol upgrade to version 12 with node 11.2. Cardano (ADA) is trading at ₹20.56 ($0.2166), up 0.7% since this brief published. This is an original Token Times brief synthesising 2 outlets (Crypto.news, U.Today), plus live market data, as of Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:00:01 UTC.

Why it matters

The Dijkstra testnet launch marks a critical step in Cardano's evolution, enabling testing of significant protocol changes including Leios, nested transactions, and Plutus V4, which could enhance the network's scalability and functionality.

Covered by 2 outlets over about 17.5 h — Token Times synthesises them all into one brief
  1. Crypto.news
    Cardano opens Dijkstra testnet as node 11.2 prepares protocol upgrade ↗
  2. U.Today
    Cardano's Next Major Upgrade Begins Testing as Dijkstra Testnet Goes Live ↗
Key takeaways
  • Cardano's Dijkstra testnet is now live for stake pool operators.
  • Node 11.2 will support protocol upgrade to version 12 without Leios.
  • Planned features include nested transactions, Plutus V4, and improved staking rewards.
What the reporting agrees on

Both Crypto.news and U.Today report that Cardano has launched the Dijkstra public testnet in preparation for the node 11.2 upgrade, which will support the transition to protocol version 12. However, they differ in their coverage of specific features: Crypto.news emphasizes the exclusion of Leios in the initial upgrade, while U.Today highlights the inclusion of Leios alongside other features like nested transactions, Plutus V4, and enhanced staking rewards.

Cardano has announced the launch of the Dijkstra public testnet, which is now accessible to stake pool operators. This development comes as part of the preparations for the node 11.2 upgrade, which will facilitate a planned test-network upgrade to protocol version 12.

The upgrade Bulletin #39 from Intersect, dated October 22, indicates that DijkstraNet has been made publicly available. This testnet is designed to support the testing of significant protocol changes, including the implementation of Leios, nested transactions, account enhancements, guard scripts, and Plutus V4.

According to U.Today, the upcoming hard fork will incorporate Leios alongside several other key features. These include nested transactions, account enhancements, guard scripts, and Plutus V4, which is expected to bring additional capabilities to the Cardano network. Furthermore, the upgrade will allow for freely withdrawable staking rewards, enhancing the flexibility for users.

The Cardano blockchain has been undergoing continuous development, with the introduction of the Dijkstra testnet being a significant milestone. This testnet will allow developers and stakeholders to experiment with the new features and provide feedback before the full implementation of protocol version 12.

In the current market context, Cardano (ADA) is trading at $0.215062, with a 24-hour decrease of 0.71% and a 7-day decline of 6.66%, reflecting a broader market trend of flat performance. The total crypto market cap stands at $2.8 trillion, with a Fear & Greed index of 50, indicating a neutral market sentiment.

Market reaction since this brief Live

Since this brief published about 20 hours ago, Cardano (ADA) has moved from ₹20.41$0.2151 to ₹20.56$0.2166 — +0.72%.

$0.215$0.215$0.216$0.216$0.217 published · $0.215 now · $0.217 (+0.72%) Oct 22 16:22 UTC Oct 23 12:00 UTC
BeforeSince publishPublished · ₹20.41$0.2151

The chart plots ADA's price: grey is the move before this brief published, the vertical dashed line marks the moment it published, the horizontal dashed line is the price then, and the coloured area is the move since — from Token Times's market data (daily resolution). It shows what happened after the news, not that the news caused it; many factors move prices. Not financial advice.

What this means in rupee

At today's peer-to-peer rate, 1 ADA ≈ ₹22.48 (about $0.2166), up 0.0% over 24 hours. The rupee itself trades about 9.3% above the official rate on the P2P market, so a Indian buyer's effective cost differs from the headline dollar price.

Live market data

Current prices for the asset in this story — live, source-stamped, updated every 15 minutes.

#18
₹20.56$0.2166 ▲ 0.04%
+0.72% since this brief published
7d -6.66%MCap ₹772.16BFull ADA data →
The market when this published · October 22, 2026
Total market cap₹265.61T
Bitcoin 24h-0.46%
Ethereum 24h-0.45%
BTC dominance58.5%
Fear & Greed50 · Neutral

Cardano Launches Dijkstra Testnet for Protocol Upgrade to Ve — questions & answers

What is the purpose of the Dijkstra testnet?

The Dijkstra testnet allows testing of Cardano's protocol version 12 features before full implementation.

What features are included in the node 11.2 upgrade?

Key features include Leios, nested transactions, Plutus V4, and freely withdrawable staking rewards.

How will the upgrade impact Cardano users?

The upgrade aims to enhance network functionality and provide more flexibility for users through improved features.

How much is 1 Cardano worth in rupee today?

About ₹22.48 at the live peer-to-peer (P2P) USDT rate, which is what Indians typically trade at — equivalent to roughly $0.2166. The rupee price moves with both ADA's US-dollar price and the USDT/INR rate; use our Cardano in rupee page for any amount.

Has Cardano's price moved since this brief was published?

ADA is up 0.72% since this brief first published — trading at ₹20.56 ($0.2166) now versus ₹20.41 ($0.2151) at publication. Token Times re-checks this figure against CoinGecko and Binance every 15 minutes.

Which outlets reported this story?

This is an original Token Times brief that synthesises reporting from Crypto.news, U.Today, with the key figures cross-checked for agreement across them. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.

Token Times Newsdesk Data-stamped

Token Times's newsdesk writes original briefs by synthesising coverage from across the crypto press — 50+ outlets including CoinDesk, The Block, Decrypt and Cointelegraph — cross-checking the figures they report — and verifying them against on-chain data from DeFiLlama and mempool.space — plus live market context (CoinGecko, Binance). We summarise and link to every source; we never reproduce full articles. Read our editorial standards and how we use AI. Not financial advice.

Market data verified against CoinGecko & Binance · October 23, 2026 ⛓ Timestamped at Bitcoin block #972,762 sha256:0c7d439ce1ebfc68
Corroborated across 2 outlets, reported over about 17.5 h — this is an original Token Times summary with live market data, not the original article.Crypto.news · Oct 22 16:22 ↗U.Today · Oct 23 09:50 ↗

Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original Token Times brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.