The blockchain development team Jeluida recently announced the official release of Ardor v2.5.3 . This update is not only a significant upgrade to the Ardor testnet, but also marks the successful completion of the NXT mainnet hard fork . The migration proposal was approved by a majority vote of its forkers, and NXT will soon be officially integrated into the Ardor ecosystem as a new child chain. This means that the NXT public chain, which has been running for 12 years, will stop producing blocks around January 20, 2026, at block height #6,000,000 . Subsequently, a snapshot of the mainnet state will be taken and imported into the Ardor mainnet, becoming a new Nxt child chain , continuing to thrive in the modern multi-chain ecosystem.
I. Ardor v2.5.3: A key version supporting NXT migration
This release of Ardor v2.5.3 is a mandatory upgrade for the testnet. Its core task is to officially launch the deployment process of NXT subchains on the Ardor testnet and verify the reliability of the migration mechanism.
The main contents of this update include:
The NXT subchain (testnet) will be activated by a hard fork at block height 20,200,200 on the Ardor testnet (expected December 15, 2025), enabling a new subchain based on the NXT mainnet snapshot.
The NXT mainnet snapshot used in this testnet is taken from NXT mainnet height 5,917,500 (November 23, 2025) , and includes:
Account balance (50% migrated to the testnet)
Alias ownership
Monetary System Name Data
Note: 50% of the quota is used for developer accounts and testing resource allocation, which is different from the mainnet migration rules.
The network layer optimizes multiple peer networking features to avoid race conditions and deadlocks, thereby improving overall stability.
Opening up paginated order pages improves the usability of the asset system and front-end efficiency.
Jetty has been upgraded to version 9.4.58 to enhance platform security and server performance.
The JPLSnapshot plugin update adds support for generating NXT-compatible Genesis Block that comply with the JPL licensing agreement (for the 10% airdrop rule).
Jelurida emphasized that this version is a key technical component of Ardor's NXT migration process, and all testnet nodes must upgrade immediately.
II. NXT's successful hard fork: Towards the new Ardor ecosystem
In November 2025, the NXT community and forging nodes made the most crucial decision in the project's history through an on-chain competitive voting mechanism: to migrate to the Ardor subchain and officially begin the next phase of development.
Signs that the migration has been approved:
Version 4 blockchain obtains a majority of forging rights during the voting period.
The main chain has confirmed version 4 as the "best chain".
Hard fork declared successful
This means that the NXT migration decision was made entirely by the on-chain PoS forgers, in line with the community governance principles initially emphasized.
Next important timeline:
Around January 20, 2026 (block #6,000,000) : The NXT mainnet will stop producing blocks and take its final snapshot.
End of January 2026 : Ardor mainnet releases a new version and officially launches Nxt Child Chain .
After the migration, NXT will gain access to all available features of the Ardor platform.
Meanwhile, the PoS security mechanism will be provided by the Ardor main chain to address the issue of reduced forgers in NXT in recent years.
III. Significance and Impact: From Independent Public Blockchains to a New Era of Multi-Chain Interconnection
NXT is the first public blockchain in history to be entirely based on Proof-of-Stake (PoS), creating numerous infrastructure structures that were later adopted by the industry, such as:
Built-in asset system
Modular on-chain functionality
This migration to Ardor signifies:
The technological revival of established public blockchains continues to operate within a more secure and modern multi-chain architecture.
Improved ecosystem liquidity means that Nxt subchains will be able to trade freely on Ardor DEX, no longer restricted by centralized exchanges.
The fair distribution history has been passed down. NXT's token distribution has been consistent for 12 years and is one of the most transparent and unquestionable distributions in the industry.
Successful community governance practices, where the project's future is directly determined by the architects, represent a true form of on-chain democracy.
IV. Official Statement: Taking Relocation as a New Starting Point
The Jelurida team stated:
"The successful hard fork of NXT is not the end, but a new beginning. As a new subchain of Ardor, NXT will continue to serve developers and the blockchain community worldwide."
Conclusion
The release of Ardor v2.5.3 is not only a technological upgrade, but also a symbol of a changing era. With the NXT mainnet set to migrate in 2026, it will gain new momentum and a bright future within the Ardor ecosystem.
The next chapter of NXT is unfolding.
