Some Cardano users with Ledger wallets have experienced issues preventing them from participating in the Glacier Drop token distribution. Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has stated that the issue remains unresolved since it was reported in July.
Technical Roadblocks in Message Signing
The NIGHT token airdrop is a key part of the wider Midnight rollout covering eight ecosystems. While most wallets function without issues, Cardano users with Ledger devices have encountered message-signing limits. To complete the claim process, users must sign a message following the CIP-8 standard, but Ledger devices currently cap message size at 31 bytes, while the Glacier Drop message is 251 bytes long.
Temporary Solutions for Ledger Compatibility with Cardano
Charles Hoskinson noted that the Ledger issue was flagged in July with no official fix provided. His team has introduced a temporary workaround using a null transaction with the 251-byte message payload as metadata. He stated, "This is a Cardano specific issue with Ledger’s software that we asked them to update in July and they haven’t given us a timeline for their update."
Claim Process and Token Allocation Remain Unchanged
Despite the technical setback for Ledger users, the Glacier Drop distribution schedule remains unchanged. NIGHT token allocations were based on a historical ADA snapshot — wallet amounts are already fixed. Claims can be made anytime during the 2-month window without affecting token amounts. The revised claim path is undergoing final audit and should be live by the week of August 25. According to Fahmi Syed, president of the Midnight Foundation, users have activated over 120 million NIGHT tokens within hours of the launch.
Although there are currently issues for Ledger users, the teams from Cardano and Midnight are working on temporary solutions and monitoring the situation. User security remains a priority, and measures are being taken to prevent fraud.
