Deep Dive
1. Mainnet 18 Upgrade (11 June 2026)
Overview: This network upgrade improved how the system fetches external data and manages unused resources. It makes the marketplace more efficient and reliable for users running applications.
The upgrade activated at block 27,230,465 and introduced three key changes. Oracle v2 replaces blockchain block-height references with regular timestamps, making price data (like AKT's value) fresher and more accurate for settling payments. It also implemented Resource Reclamation (AEP-82), which automatically frees up compute capacity from closed orders, making it available for new users faster. Finally, it fixed a bug related to Market Order Close events to ensure smoother transaction finalization.
What this means: This is bullish for AKT because it makes the underlying marketplace more robust and efficient. Users get more reliable service, and providers can utilize their hardware better, which could drive higher network usage and demand for AKT.
(TradingView)
2. Mainnet 16 Upgrade Live (4 March 2026)
Overview: This update focused on improving the tools developers use to deploy and manage their applications on Akash, making the process faster and less complex.
The core improvement was a major upgrade to the Akash Console, the primary web interface for interacting with the network. The enhancements gave developers greater visibility into their active deployments, especially when operating at a large scale. This reduces the time and effort needed to monitor and troubleshoot applications running on the decentralized cloud.
What this means: This is bullish for AKT because a better developer experience lowers the barrier to entry. If it's easier and faster to build on Akash, more projects are likely to use it, increasing network activity and the utility of the AKT token.
(Akash Network)
3. Virtual Machines Announcement (6 November 2025)
Overview: This announcement signaled a major expansion of Akash's technical capabilities beyond its current container-based system, aiming to attract a broader range of software and enterprise users.
Currently, applications on Akash must run inside software containers, which is standard for modern web apps but can be limiting. The planned support for full Virtual Machines (VMs) will give developers deeper control and flexibility, similar to having a dedicated remote server. This opens the door for more types of software, including legacy applications or those requiring specific operating systems, to run on the decentralized cloud.
What this means: This is bullish for AKT because it significantly widens the potential market. By supporting virtually any kind of software, Akash can compete for a much larger share of the cloud computing market, potentially driving substantial new demand for its compute resources and the AKT token.
(Akash Network)
Conclusion
Akash Network's development is strategically advancing on two fronts: refining its core marketplace efficiency and aggressively expanding its technical capabilities to capture more of the cloud market. How will the planned shift to Virtual Machines impact its competitive position against traditional cloud giants?