Hey Cardanians! Welcome aboard the Weekly Cardano Digest #58!!

We've filtered through all the noise to distill crucial updates into a breezy, 5-minute read. No need for you to sift through endless info — we've got you covered. Ready to delve into this week's top Cardano news? Let’s dive in.

Here are the topics of the week:

• The Plomin Upgrade: New Hard Fork incoming

• NASA Runs Smart Contracts on Cardano

• FluidTokens Enables Bitcoin Transactions on Cardano with Aquarium

• & More!

The Plomin Upgrade: The Hard Fork that changes everything

The Cardano community is celebrating a major milestone as the Plomin hard fork receives unanimous approval from the Interim Constitutional Committee (ICC). The mainnet governance action was ratified on January 24, 2025, and will be enacted on January 29, 2025, at the epoch boundary. This pivotal upgrade brings CIP-1694 governance features fully on-chain, officially transitioning into fully decentralized on chain governance

The Voltaire era emphasizes decentralized governance, empowering the Cardano ecosystem with mechanisms for community-driven decisions. Congratulations to everyone in the community for reaching this historic achievement! Read more.

NASA is officially running Smart Contracts on Cardano

In groundbreaking news from Davos, It was confirmed that NASA has deployed smart contracts on the Cardano blockchain. This revelation was confirmed by the CEO of the Cardano Foundation, Frederik Gregaard. This development is expected to open doors for further collaborations and solidify Cardano’s position as a leading blockchain for institutional use. Read More

FluidTokens Enables Bitcoin Transactions on Cardano with Aquarium

FluidTokens has made history by conducting the first Bitcoin transaction on the Aquarium platform. The protocol’s innovative Babel fees system allows users to pay transaction fees using Cardano native tokens (CNTs) or stablecoins instead of ADA. This includes functionalities like zero-fee transactions through dApp sponsorships and the ability to send NFTs or CNTs without holding ADA.

This achievement signals a leap forward in Cardano’s interoperability, enhancing its ecosystem’s appeal to both developers and users.  Read More

Revolutionizing Education with Blockchain: Olympus Insight and the $OLI Token learn to earn.

Olympus Insight is transforming education by integrating blockchain technology seamlessly into learning. With instant Cardano wallet creation for new users, the platform has onboarded over 25,000 students in only a couple of months.

• Learn & Earn: Students earn $OLI tokens by completing courses, linking academic achievements to tangible crypto rewards.

• Empowering the Future: This approach not only educates but also introduces blockchain and DeFi concepts to a new generation, fostering mass adoption through education.

Mark Your Calendars: $OLI Token Sale Begins January 28th at 1:30 PM UTC

The highly anticipated $OLI token sale for Olympus Insight will take place on the TMinusOne platform tomorrow. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of an innovative project transforming education through blockchain technology.

🗓 Date: January 28th
⏰ Time: 1:30 PM UTC
📍 Platform: TMinusOne

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🎊 A Message from Lucas

Hey everyone, what a week! With Davos, Trump, and JJ meeting Milei, it's becoming increasingly challenging to keep up with all the exciting developments in the ecosystem. That's why I'm writing this—to help you stay updated without spending hours on X. I'm really glad to hear that people find this valuable.

This week, we partnered with Olympus, who is hosting their sale. Their onboarding efforts to Cardano have been exceptional, and they're delivering the numbers we need.

I want to dedicate this edition to my friend, Matthew Plomin. You've made a lasting impact on Cardano, and I'm grateful to have met you.

Wishing you an amazing week!

–Lucas Macchiavelli