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Cardano developers moved Leios closer to testing on October 26, 2026, by merging Praos2, LeiosNotify and LeiosFetch into the main development branch. The code combines Ouroboros Praos with Leios and adds node-to-node exchange and retrieval for Leios data. It is a development milestone, not a mainnet launch: endorser-block selection and retrieval work remain unfinished, and the Dijkstra testnet had not yet started testing the new protocol rules.
The often-quoted “15×” is a staged capacity target, not measured production throughput. Initial Dijkstra-era settings are described as roughly three to five times current capacity, with later parameter changes targeting 10–15×. Separate simulations cited by Input Output cover a wider 10–65× range, depending on the parameters and metric used.
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What did Cardano developers merge for Leios?
The October 26, 2026 merge brings three pieces into Cardano’s main development branch:
- Praos2: combines the existing Ouroboros Praos consensus with the Leios design.
- LeiosNotify: supports node-to-node notification and exchange of Leios data.
- LeiosFetch: lets nodes retrieve the additional data needed for Leios processing.
These components create the plumbing for parallel transaction endorsement, but they do not constitute a finished network upgrade. Endorser-block selection and parts of retrieval were still being completed when the merge was reported. Operators therefore should read the change as an engineering milestone rather than a switch that immediately raises Cardano’s mainnet capacity.
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Is Cardano really getting 15× faster?
Not yet, and “15×” does not describe one guaranteed launch-day result. The figures refer to a sequence of parameter settings and to different measures of capacity.
| Stage or measurement | Capacity figure | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ouroboros Praos ceiling | Approximately 4.5 KB of transaction data per second | Input Output estimate reported by CryptoSlate in 2026 |
| Initial Leios target | Approximately 13.5–22.5 KB/s | CryptoSlate’s report of IOG estimates for the first rollout phase |
| Later parameter increases | Approximately 45–67.5 KB/s | Potential range after subsequent tuning, not an activated setting |
| Project FAQ simulation claim | Up to 1,500+ transactions per second | Described as 30–65× current Praos levels; simulated/project benefit claim rather than stable mainnet performance |
Input Output’s broader proposal describes simulated and validated results from 10× to 65×, depending on configuration. Transaction-per-second numbers also change with transaction size and computation, so a byte-per-second estimate and a TPS estimate are not interchangeable. Cardano’s 2030 strategy gives a separate adoption target: growth from roughly 800,000 transactions per month to more than 27 million.
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Leios separates transaction diffusion and endorsement from the sequential ranking layer while retaining Ouroboros Praos as the security foundation.
Endorser blocks carry parallel transaction batches
Endorser blocks (EBs) carry additional transaction batches that can be propagated and certified in parallel. In the design described by the official Leios FAQ, EBs are produced about every five seconds.
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Ranking blocks keep a linear order
Ranking blocks (RBs) provide the chain’s linear order and security anchor, with the described design producing them about every 20 seconds. This division lets the network handle more transaction data between ranking events without abandoning a single canonical ordering layer.
Why this is not sharding
Leios does not split the ledger into independent shards. The FAQ says every node still validates the entire chain, so adding more nodes does not automatically multiply capacity in the way a sharded architecture can. The trade-off is parallel consensus and data handling while preserving whole-chain validation.
When will Leios go live?
No cited source provides an exact Dijkstra mainnet activation date. Input Output’s proposal targets full integration into the primary node by the fourth quarter of 2026 and says a public testnet should demonstrate the planned capacity before staged mainnet increases. Governance approval, test results and operator readiness all remain prerequisites.
At the time of the October 26 report, the Dijkstra testnet was still running Conway rules. Moving it to the new protocol version required a node 11.2 prerelease and a hard-fork initiation action to reach protocol version 12. That migration had not yet begun testing the new rules.
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Intersect’s consensus updates describe continuing prototype work, including stake-based committee selection, real BLS signatures, late-join support and database-performance testing. Those items are part of the evidence operators and governors will need before capacity parameters can be raised safely.
Which governance votes control the upgrade?
Leios is being introduced through separate governance decisions rather than one vote that authorizes every future capacity increase.
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| Decision | Delegated-representative support | Stake-pool-operator support | Constitutional Committee approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constitutional parameter framework | 75% | Not required in the stated threshold | Two-thirds |
| Dijkstra hard fork | 60% | 51% | Two-thirds |
| Later capacity-parameter adjustments | 67% | 51% | Two-thirds |
The separate thresholds mean a successful constitutional amendment would not by itself activate the hard fork, and a hard fork would not automatically approve every later increase. Each stage depends on its own vote and on technical evidence from testing.
Do stake pools need new hardware or keys?
Stake-pool operators must register BLS keys to certify endorser blocks. Input Output estimates that keys representing 90–95% of delegated stake should be registered before activation, while Leios certification requires signatures representing at least 75% of active stake.
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A pool without a BLS key can continue ordinary block production but cannot vote on endorser blocks. After registration, controlled high-load exercises are intended to measure transaction-batch propagation, certification reliability and spare capacity on nodes; those results will guide later parameter proposals.
The latest simulations cited by the official FAQ recommend at least six CPU cores, bandwidth of 100 Mbps or more and SSD storage. These are simulation-era operating recommendations, not a universal final hardware specification. Wallets, explorers, indexers and APIs will also need updates so they can process new block types and higher transaction flow.
What could delay or limit the scaling result?
- Incomplete protocol work: endorser-block selection and retrieval were not finished at the merge milestone.
- Testnet migration: Dijkstra must move from Conway rules to protocol version 12 before the new behavior can be exercised there.
- Governance timing: constitutional, hard-fork and parameter votes have different approval requirements.
- BLS-key coverage: insufficient delegated-stake coverage could prevent reliable endorser-block certification.
- Node headroom: higher data rates are useful only if operators retain enough CPU, storage and network capacity.
- Ecosystem compatibility: infrastructure that assumes one block type or today’s throughput may need software changes.
These gates explain why a code merge should not be reported as delivered throughput. The meaningful proof point will be sustained public-testnet behavior under the intended parameters, followed by approved and monitored mainnet increases.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is Leios different from Hydra?
| Characteristic | Leios | Hydra |
|---|---|---|
| Layer | Cardano base layer | Layer 2 |
| Core method | Parallel endorser blocks with ranking blocks | State channels for known participant groups |
| Participation model | Designed for the open Cardano network | Focused on defined channel participants |
| Validation model | Every node still validates the full chain | Activity occurs off the base chain until channel settlement |
| Main trade-off | Higher base-layer capacity with node-resource and governance demands | Low-latency, specialized scaling for participating groups |
They address different workloads. Leios changes how the base chain handles and certifies data; Hydra is a separate state-channel approach and should not be presented as the same upgrade.
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What should readers watch next?
- Publication of a usable node 11.2 prerelease and the Dijkstra protocol-version-12 migration.
- Completion of endorser-block selection, retrieval and BLS-signature testing.
- Registration levels for BLS keys across delegated stake.
- Public-testnet measurements of propagation, certification reliability and node headroom.
- Governance votes on the constitutional framework, hard fork and later parameter changes.
- Readiness updates from wallets, explorers, indexers and API providers.
BTBF X-StakePool, quoted in Input Output’s May 14, 2026 proposal, called Leios one of the most important innovations for making Cardano a chain with “true competitive capacity and long-term sustainability.” That is a forward-looking expectation, not evidence that the 15× target has already been achieved.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “15× scaling” mean for a typical Cardano transaction?
It is a network-capacity target, not a promise that every transaction confirms 15 times faster. The eventual effect will depend on transaction size, computation, selected protocol parameters and whether surrounding services can keep up.
Will adding more Cardano nodes multiply Leios capacity?
No. Leios keeps whole-chain validation, so additional nodes do not create independent shards. More operators can improve resilience and distribution, but capacity still depends on the resources and parameters of validating nodes.
What happens if a stake pool does not register a BLS key?
The pool can continue producing ordinary blocks under the existing process. It cannot certify or vote on endorser blocks, which may limit its role once Leios endorsement is active.
Why can’t Cardano announce a firm Leios launch date yet?
The date depends on unfinished implementation work, Dijkstra testnet migration, public-load results and several governance approvals. None of the cited updates establishes a final mainnet activation date.
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