Ardor v2.5.3 Released: Partnering with NXT for a Successful Hard Fork, Welcoming a New Era of Child Chain Launch
The blockchain development team Jelurida recently announced the official release of Ardor v2.5.3. This update is not only an important upgrade for the Ardor testnet but also marks the successful completion of the NXT mainnet hard fork, with the majority of its forgers approving the migration proposal. NXT will soon officially integrate into the Ardor ecosystem in the form of a brand new child chain. This means that the NXT public chain, which has been running for 12 years, will stop block production around January 20, 2026, at block height #6,000,000, after which a snapshot of the mainnet state will be taken and imported into the Ardor mainnet, becoming the new Nxt child chain, continuing to thrive in the modern multi-chain ecosystem.
1. Ardor v2.5.3: Key version supporting NXT migration
The released Ardor v2.5.3 is a mandatory upgrade version for the testnet. Its core task is to officially initiate the deployment process of the NXT child chain on the Ardor testnet and verify the reliability of the migration mechanism.
The main content of this update includes:
Activate NXT child chain (testnet)
A hard fork will occur at block height 20,200,200 on the Ardor testnet (expected December 15, 2025), enabling a new child chain based on the NXT mainnet snapshot.
NXT mainnet snapshot basis
The snapshot used for this testnet is taken from the NXT mainnet height 5,917,500 (November 23, 2025), including:
Account balance (50% migrated to the testnet)
Alias ownership
Monetary System name data
Note: 50% of the quota is allocated for developer accounts and testing resources, different from the mainnet migration rules.
Network layer optimization
Multiple peer networking optimizations to avoid race conditions and deadlocks, improving overall stability.
Open orders page pagination display
Improve the usability and frontend efficiency of the asset system.
Jetty upgraded to 9.4.58
Enhance platform security and server performance.
JPLSnapshot plugin update
New support for generating NXT-compatible genesis blocks that meet JPL authorization protocol requirements (for the 10% airdrop rule).
Jelurida emphasizes that this version is a key technical link in supporting the NXT migration process on Ardor; all testnet nodes must upgrade immediately.
2. NXT successfully hard forked: Moving towards a new ecosystem of Ardor
In November 2025, the NXT community and forging nodes achieved the most critical decision in the project's history through an on-chain competitive voting mechanism:
Migration to Ardor child chain, officially starting the next phase of development.
Migration approval mark:
Version 4 blockchain achieved majority forging rights during the voting period
Main chain confirms version 4 chain as the 'best chain'
Hard fork declared successful
This means that the migration decision of NXT has been fully achieved by on-chain PoS forgers, in accordance with the initially emphasized community governance principles.
Important upcoming milestones:
Around January 20, 2026 (Block #6,000,000):
NXT mainnet stops block production, conducting the final snapshot.
End of January 2026:
Ardor mainnet releases a new version, officially launching Nxt Child Chain.
After the migration, NXT will gain access to all available features of the Ardor platform.
At the same time, the PoS security mechanism will be provided by the Ardor main chain, addressing the issue of decreasing forgers in NXT in recent years.
3. Significance and impact: Moving from independent public chains to a new era of multi-chain interconnectivity
NXT is the first fully PoS-based public chain in blockchain history, creating a large number of foundational structures later adopted by the industry, such as:
Built-in asset system
Modular on-chain functions
This migration to Ardor represents:
Technical renaissance of established public chains
Continue operating in a more secure, modern multi-chain architecture.
Ecological liquidity improvement
Nxt child chains will be freely traded on Ardor DEX, no longer restricted by centralized exchanges.
Fair distribution history is passed down
The token distribution of NXT has persisted for 12 years, one of the most transparent and least questionable distributions in the industry.
Successful practice of community governance
The future of the project is directly determined by the forgers, representing a true on-chain democracy.
4. Official statement: Taking migration as a new starting point
The Jelurida team stated:
The hard fork of NXT has successfully completed, marking not an end, but a new starting point.
As a new child chain of Ardor, NXT will continue to serve global developers and the blockchain community.
Conclusion
The release of Ardor v2.5.3 is not only a technical upgrade but also a symbol of an era transition.
As NXT's mainnet is about to complete migration in 2026, it will gain new momentum and future within the Ardor ecosystem.
The next chapter of NXT is unfolding.
