# Cardano activates van Rossum hard fork upgrade Major update reduces smart contract costs, paves way for scalability - **Source:** [Cointelegraph.com News](https://brifing.si/source/2e81e982-0137-4db0-8ac2-351f37085775) - **Published:** 2026-07-20 - **Topic:** [Finance](https://brifing.si/c/finance) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/0eecabbe-4885-4593-9efc-e91adbf3a6af ## Van Rossum Hard Fork Goes Live Cardano mainnet upgraded to version 11 with the van Rossum hard fork. This update reduces smart contract execution costs while laying infrastructure for Ouroboros Leios scalability upgrade planned for 2026. Activated at epoch 644, this marks a critical step in Cardano's roadmap. ## Technical Improvements The update includes Plutus smart contract platform enhancements and cost model updates. It also prepares the ground for the upcoming Dijkstra era hard fork. According to Input Output's development report, these changes represent key milestones in boosting Cardano's transaction capacity. ## Ouroboros Leios Coming in 2026 Scheduled for late 2026, Ouroboros Leios will introduce revolutionary scalability to Cardano's proof-of-stake consensus. The goal is to significantly increase transactions per second without compromising security. The van Rossum update is the first step toward this ambitious target. ## Governance Milestone This upgrade represents Cardano's first community-driven hard fork. Unlike previous upgrades coordinated by Input Output, this was managed through community governance processes. This development marks significant progress in decentralized governance practices. ## Network Performance Monitoring Cardanoscan data shows the network transitioned from Protocol Version 10 to Version 11 at epoch 644. Developers are closely monitoring network performance and new feature stability. Reduced smart contract costs are expected to attract more developers to the ecosystem. ## Significance for Blockchain Ecosystem This upgrade could strengthen Cardano's competitiveness against rivals like Ethereum. Lower costs and higher scalability may create an attractive environment for dApp developers. This strategic move could solidify Cardano's position in the blockchain industry for years to come. ## Sources covering this story - https://cointelegraph.com/news/cardano-activates-van-rossem-hard-fork-paving-way-for-leios?utm_source=rss_feed&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss_partner_inbound — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._