Midgard gives Cardano applications faster, lower-cost execution, with settlement and security anchored to Cardano L1.
Benchmark status: Performance, cost, and reward figures on this page are current design targets. Public testnet results and finalized parameters will replace these targets.
Midgard anchors its security to Cardano, unlike other L2s that ask you to accept a new security model.
Swaps, lending, and orderbooks that keep moving when the base chain is busy.
Real-time state that updates constantly, with confirmations in seconds.
Pay transaction fees directly in ADA. No new fee asset to buy or hold.
Reuse familiar scripts and tooling at lower execution cost.
Build, participate, or use Midgard.
What each participant pays and earns. Each audience page has the detail.
Why it matters
Midgard uses paid Cardano L1 transactions for commitments and settlement, and routes slashing penalties to the Cardano treasury. It is built to pay Cardano back.
| Who | What you pay | What you get | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Users | Fees paid directly in ADA, 10 to 30x lower than L1. | Confirmations in seconds, with verified state settling on Cardano. | User economics → |
| Builders | An ADA-denominated fee model for users, with no separate fee asset. | Faster UTXO execution, with public protocol code and a technical specification to inspect how it works. | Builder economics → |
| Operators | An ADA bond locked on Cardano while the Operator sequences blocks in rotating shifts. | Revenue from transaction, deposit, and withdrawal fees on blocks the Operator commits. | Role economics → |
| Watchers | Node compute, bandwidth, and uptime. No bond or selection is required. | 30–50% of the required Operator bond for a valid fault proof. | Role economics → |
| Cardano | No direct cost | L1 transaction fees from Midgard activity, including slashing penalties paid to the Cardano treasury. | Security model → |
Follow a transaction from execution to final settlement.
Why that's safe
Anyone can verify commitments during the challenge period. One honest Watcher is enough to stop a bad block before it settles.
Transaction lifecycle illustration: execute on Midgard, verify the commitment, then settle to Cardano.
Teams across the Cardano ecosystem that build with Midgard.
