- Mainnet disruption slowed Cardano block production but did not halt the chain.
- ADA price plunged as market pressure and criticism intensified.
- Concerns rose over network readiness ahead of the Midnight rollout.
Cardano has come under scrutiny after a mainnet disruption slowed block production, weighing on an already weak market sentiment.
The incident occurred during a tense period for the broader crypto market, pushing ADA deeper into a decline and raising fresh questions about the network’s readiness for upcoming milestones.
Mainnet disruption sparks network anxiety
Block production slowed after Cardano (ADA) experienced technical issues on its mainnet, repeating a similar problem that surfaced in the Preview environment just a day earlier.
According to Intersect, the member-based organization that helps coordinate development across the ecosystem, the disruption did not stop block production entirely but did cause a significant slowdown.
Engineers from Intersect, the Cardano Foundation, and Input Output Global moved quickly to diagnose the issue and coordinate fixes.
Node operators running version 10.3.1 or higher were advised to upgrade to Cardano Node 10.5.2, a release designed to address inconsistent chunk sizes and networking bugs related to peer selection.
Operators on older software versions were not required to take action, and Daedalus wallet users remained unaffected.
Despite those reassurances, visible congestion raised concerns among community members closely monitoring on-chain activity.
Following an issue identified in the Preview environment yesterday, Cardano is currently experiencing a technical issue now on Mainnet.
Currently block production has slowed, and we’re working closely with @Cardano_CF and @InputOutputHK as we coordinate a technical response.…
— Intersect (@IntersectMBO) November 21, 2025
Mention of the disruption is especially sensitive because the network is preparing for increased activity tied to the launch of the Midnight sidechain scheduled for December 8.
While some users downplayed the issue—pointing out that only certain node versions were affected and that the wider network continued functioning, albeit at reduced capacity—others warned the slowdown could indicate deeper scalability challenges.
Market reacts as ADA extends losses
The disruption struck at a precarious moment for the crypto market, and ADA quickly became one of the worst performers during the session.
Cardano (ADA) fell 12.86% over 24 hours, sliding from $0.4697 to a low of $0.3911 before a modest rebound.
This drop outpaced the broader market decline of 7.76%, amplifying concerns about ADA’s short-term resilience.
Negative sentiment was compounded by a revival of the long-running “ghost chain” narrative, promoted by critics who highlight Cardano’s relatively small stablecoin footprint and modest decentralized exchange volumes compared with larger networks.
With usage metrics under renewed scrutiny, the mainnet disruption added another layer of pressure, creating what analysts described as a “perfect storm” that accelerated sell-offs across trading platforms.
Technically, ADA’s break below the key $0.40 support zone triggered algorithmic selling and additional liquidations.
Indicators such as the RSI plunged into deep oversold territory and a bearish MACD crossover signaled weakening momentum.
The next major support now sits near $0.33 unless ADA can reclaim $0.44, a level that previously acted as a short-term pivot.