Cardano Vasil Upgrade Debuts on Testnet

In an important crypto update, Cardano Vasil Upgrade has now reportedly gone through a hard fork. The Input-Output Hong Kong (IOHK), also called Input-Output Global (IOG), publicly stated on Monday that the Vasil hard fork has been launched on the Cardano testnet.

Experts suggest that this is an integral move toward bringing the Vasil upgrade to the mainnet. According to IOHK, “This is a significant development toward the eventual deployment of the Vasil upgrade on the mainnet.”

The firm is now inviting developers, exchanges, and stake pool operators to use Cardano on testnet for their projects. This is an important step to resolve any potential issues before the Vasil upgrade gets live on the mainnet. 

The Cardano Vasil hard fork is a major feature in Cardano’s Basho phase. The Basho phase is the fourth phase in the network’s five-stage development plan. Earlier phases concentrated on the foundation (Byron), decentralization (Shelley), and smart contracts (Goguen). Basho, contrarily, is focused on scalability enhancements.

What Improvements Does Cardano Vasil Upgrade Bring?

The upgrade is focused on scalability. These include enhanced “script performance and efficiency” and faster block generation speeds. Moreover, there will be lower network fees, aiding all users. The Vasil upgrade will also allow interoperability between Cardano and other blockchains, expanding the network’s diversity.

Currently, news sources report that the Vasil upgrade will stay on the Cardano on testnet as the community and developers give it the green signal to be launched on the mainnet. IOG has signalled that the proposal for the Cardano mainnet will only be made “when the community is comfortable and ready.” The firm allegedly hopes that it will be done within the upcoming four weeks.

Delays in Cardano Vasil Upgrade’s Deployment 

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If all was on time, the Vasil mainnet hard fork would have reportedly launched on June 29. There were a few bugs detected during testing on Cardano on testnet which caused the delay.

Smart contracts were the last big development launched by Cardano. This paved the way for numerous decentralized applications (DApps) within its landscape. Despite undergoing some challenges, like concurrency issues, Cardano is still attractive to developers. 

Cardano’s Ecosystem and DeFi Setbacks

Presently, Cardano’s total value locked (TVL) is reported to be $115.85 million, according to DeFi Llama. The decentralized exchange WingRiders massively adds to this number, with a TVL of $49.7 million, as reported. The current testing of Cardano on testnet is expected to further inflate the figures with enhanced performance and slashed costs.

However, the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector is going through rough times just like the overall crypto industry. Since December, it was reported that the total value locked in DeFi has decreased by 70%, as shown by data from DeFi Llama. This dip has made the community less trustful of the DeFi space, including platforms on Cardano on testnet.

Incidents like the Celsius halting withdrawals have pinpointed the weak points of the DeFi arena. Even though Celsius worked within the DeFi ecosystem, it exercised a centralized hold on user funds. This, combined with the collapse of Terra, which was once the second-largest DeFi platform, has further put the possibility of true decentralization in auspicious light.

Cardano’s Ongoing Performance 

As the Cardano Vasil upgrade debuts on testnet, ADA price has plunged in line with the general market and undergone a drop of a reported 61% in the past three months. CoinMarketCap states that ADA is trading at an average price of $0.467. The current rigorous testing of Cardano Vasil upgrade on testnet and the implementation of the Vasil upgrade are allegedly expected to improve its position in the market. Learn more about the launch on TheBITJournal.