Blockdaemon and Shielded Technologies Join Midnight as Federated Node Operators Ahead of Mainnet Launch

• Blockdaemon and Shielded Technologies have signed on as federated node operators for Midnight ahead of its March mainnet launch.
• The additions bring Midnight’s confirmed launch partners to four, alongside Google Cloud and AlphaTON Capital.
• Midnight aims to provide privacy-enhancing infrastructure using zero-knowledge cryptography to support regulated, real-world blockchain use cases.

Midnight Foundation has announced that Blockdaemon and Shielded Technologies will operate federated nodes for the Midnight Network, expanding its core infrastructure ahead of a planned mainnet launch in the final week of March.

The additions bring Midnight’s network of federated node operators to four, joining previously announced partners Google Cloud and NASDAQ-listed AlphaTON Capital, which is running a node on behalf of Telegram. The Foundation stated it is targeting ten strategic launch partners to operate and strengthen the network’s infrastructure at launch.

Midnight describes itself as a fourth-generation blockchain designed to bring “rational privacy” to Web3. The network aims to enable assets and transactions to be validated on-chain without making underlying information public, positioning privacy-enhancing infrastructure as essential for moving regulated real-world assets onto blockchain rails.

“Privacy-enhancing technology only matters if it’s backed by infrastructure that institutions can trust,” said Fahmi Syed, President of the Midnight Foundation. “The additions of Blockdaemon and Shielded Technologies help to reinforce that trust across the network, providing the stability and accountability required to introduce privacy on-chain responsibly, while establishing a clear path toward decentralisation.”

Blockdaemon, which secures more than $110 billion in digital assets across 70 protocols for banks, custodians, funds, and financial institutions, said operating a Midnight node reflects growing demand from institutional clients for compliant privacy infrastructure.

“Public blockchains expose transaction data by default by design, creating a compliance gap our clients cannot accept. Midnight gives our clients access to something that hasn’t existed in blockchain before – compliant privacy at the infrastructure level,” said Demetrios Skalkotos, Chief DeFi and Protocols Officer at Blockdaemon. “Running one of Midnight’s nodes, in addition to integrating Midnight into our platform, is critical to meeting the demand we’re seeing for privacy-enhancing capabilities that can be used in regulated, real-world environments, while ensuring that infrastructure is delivered responsibly as the network comes to market.”

Shielded Technologies, an engineering spinout from Input Output Group, is the core technology partner developing Midnight’s privacy-enhancing protocol. The firm leverages advanced zero-knowledge cryptography and selective disclosure mechanisms designed to bridge confidentiality with regulatory compliance.

“At Shielded Technologies, we aren’t just developing Midnight’s protocol, we’re engineering the fundamental infrastructure that will unlock real-world participation. By leveraging advanced zero-knowledge cryptography and selective disclosure, we’ve developed a protocol that bridges the gap between data privacy and the ability to disclose specific information,” said Bob-Blessing-Hartly, CTO at Shielded Technologies. “Transitioning from not only developing Midnight’s infrastructure, but now helping to run and secure it, reflects our confidence in the network’s readiness and our commitment to seeing this architecture operate at scale.”

Together with Google Cloud, which is collaborating with Midnight to drive innovation in securing and scaling zero-knowledge systems, and AlphaTON Capital, which recently announced plans to integrate Midnight’s privacy infrastructure into Telegram’s Cocoon AI, the expanded federated network brings infrastructure, protocol development, and market distribution capabilities under a coordinated launch framework.

The Midnight Foundation confirmed that the initial federated node structure is intended to ensure decentralization, security, and operational stability at launch. The network plans to transition to full community-driven block production later in 2026.

The announcement follows a keynote by Midnight founder Charles Hoskinson at Consensus Hong Kong, where he reiterated that the network’s mainnet will go live in the final week of March.

Additional node operators are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as Midnight moves closer to launch.

Editorial Note: This news article has been written with assistance from AI. Edited & fact-checked by the Editorial Team.

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