Cardano, the smart contract platform nipping at Ethereum's heels, is gearing up for its next big leap. The network is transitioning from Basho to Voltaire. This move comes after a focus on scaling and performance tweaks.

The Chang hard fork is crucial to this shift. But progress is slow. Cardanoscan data shows only 33% of stake pool operators were ready on August 19. A measly 14% of exchanges had updated.

Post-Chang, Cardano aims to embrace decentralized governance. But that's not all, folks.

One observer, citing Anastasia Labs founder Philip DiSarro, claims Cardano could lead the zero-knowledge (ZK) scaling race. DiSarro reckons Chang will give Cardano a serious edge in the ongoing "scaling war".

Why the optimism? It's all about the Chang hard fork's goodies.

Cardano will integrate Plutus v2 post-Chang. This upgrade lets devs create smart contracts more efficiently. It's a big deal.

The new programming language handles complete computations. That's ZK proof territory. Off-chain computation features will also be ready. ZK-rollups need this.

Our observer is bullish. They reckon post-Chang Cardano will be unique. "Won't be copied by anyone," they claim. It's a "huge, unique selling point" for ZK scaling.

But Ethereum's not sitting idle. It's scaling through optimistic rollups. Transactions get bundled and approved offline. Problem is, centralized systems play middleman. It's not ideal.

Cardano's betting on ZK scaling post-Chang. The platform supports determinism. Same inputs, same outputs. It's predictable. ZK scaling loves that.

Meanwhile, ADA's in the doldrums. The coin's down 60% from March 2024 highs. It's testing support at $0.30. Ouch.

The road ahead's bumpy. But Cardano's playing the long game. Will it pay off? Time will tell.