- Ledger 9 adds ECDSA, Keccak-256, Schnorr signatures and BIP-44 address derivation, improving compatibility with existing blockchain and custody infrastructure.
- Smart contracts gain direct contract-to-contract execution, caller identification and transaction event logging, enabling more complex operations in a single transaction.
- Developers must update to Midnight.js 5 and the latest Compact toolchain; existing balances and deployed contracts migrated automatically.
Midnight has upgraded its mainnet from Ledger 8 to Ledger 9, introducing cryptographic support and smart contract improvements. The hard fork adds ECDSA and Keccak-256 compatibility, contract-to-contract execution, and custody support. Unlike previous upgrades, Midnight deployed Ledger 9 directly to mainnet, bypassing its standard Preprod testing and soak period.
Ledger 9 Adds Cryptographic and Custody Support
According to Midnight’s release announcement, Ledger 9 introduces native ECDSA and Keccak-256 support. These standards allow developers to build connections with existing blockchain infrastructure, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The ledger also accepts Schnorr and ECDSA signatures for transaction authorization. Additionally, BIP-44 address derivation support allows wallet providers and institutional custodians to use existing software.
These capabilities support asset transfers between networks and integrations with custody providers. Developers can also build applications involving stablecoins and private financial transactions.
Smart Contracts Gain Direct Execution Capabilities
Ledger 9 also introduces contract-to-contract execution, allowing smart contracts to call other contracts within one transaction. Consequently, developers can combine operations such as token approvals, swaps, and deposits into one user action.
Contracts can now identify which other contract initiated a call. This allows applications to restrict sensitive operations to approved contracts. Additionally, smart contracts can publish events and logs after transactions finalize. Wallets, explorers, and tracking applications can use these updates to refresh information.
The upgrade also moves zero-knowledge proofs and verification keys to Zero-Knowledge Intermediate Representation V3. Meanwhile, performance improvements and security patches accompany the release.
Developers Must Update Tools After Mainnet Upgrade
Existing balances and deployed smart contracts migrated automatically during the upgrade. However, developers must update applications to Midnight.js 5.
Undeployed contracts also require compilation through the updated Compact toolchain targeting Ledger 9. Mainnet cNIGHT holders do not need to register again for DUST generation.
However, developers using Preview and Preprod must re-register their tNIGHT to resume DUST generation. Midnight said documentation covering newer features will arrive over the coming weeks.
The team deployed Ledger 9 directly to mainnet because security fixes required a more controlled release path. This bypassed the usual Preprod deployment and soak period.
