The Voltaire roadmap goal is about building a self-sustaining, community-led blockchain. 

Voltaire kicks off with the Chang hard fork, launching September 1.

Input Output and Cardano Foundation will step back from control. Decentralized governance, where participants control the network, is seen as the purest expression of cryptocurrency ideals. With the Chang hard fork just days away, Cardano is on the verge of launching its own community-led governance model, as envisioned in the Voltaire roadmap phase. Sponsored The Chang hard fork will activate on September 1, paving the way for the on-chain governance model outlined in CIP-1694. In a symbolic gesture marking the significance of this transition, Input-Output (IO) CEO Charles Hoskinson announced the burning of Cardano’s genesis keys.Cardano Genesis Keys No MoreWith Cardano poised to enter the Age of Voltaire, Hoskinson announced the burning of the genesis keys, symbolizing IO and the Cardano Foundation (CF) stepping back from blockchain control.The new governance structure will consist of a Constitutional Committee, Delegated Representatives (dReps), Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), and ADA holders, who will assume the responsibilities previously held by IO and the CF.This shift aims to establish a fully decentralized ecosystem, where no single entity has undue influence over the network’s direction.While the community largely embraced the burning of the genesis keys, some voices called for public verification of the process, arguing it would enhance transparency and serve marketing purposes.The Old WayIn a 2023 post, Hoskinson explained that Cardano’s genesis keys were embedded into the genesis block of the Shelly hard fork and served as the cornerstone of a federated governance model. These keys enabled system parameter changes and the initiation of hard forks. Key players in the Cardano ecosystem managed operations under this federated structure.IO held three keys, while Emurgo and the CF each controlled two keys. To implement any major changes or upgrades to the network, a majority of five out of seven keys were required to action changes.However, Hoskinson acknowledged that this model faced significant issues, including reliance on poorly defined, subjective social processes for reaching agreements. In contrast, he emphasized that the algorithmically defined processes outlined in CIP-1694 offer a more stable and objective governance framework.On the Flipside Critics argue that fully decentralized governance may lead to slower decision-making.

Community control of the Cardano treasury has stoked concerns of frivolous overspending. Why This MattersThe burning of Cardano’s genesis keys symbolizes the community takeover of the project.The thresholds to trigger the Chang hard fork have now been met.Cardano’s Chang Fork Is Go: Sept 1 Launch Locked InAdvisor reveals Bitcoin adoption helped to rebrand El Salvador.Was El Salvador’s Bitcoin Adoption Just a Marketing Gimmick?