If you claimed NIGHT through Midnight's Glacier Drop, your tokens do not all become available at once. They unlock gradually on a fixed schedule. This guide explains exactly how that schedule works — and how to find your unlock dates.
What is the Glacier Drop?
The Glacier Drop is Midnight's distribution of its NIGHT token to eligible holders across several networks. To avoid a flood of tokens hitting the market on day one, claimed NIGHT is released over a thawing period rather than all at once.
The schedule: four unlocks, 90 days apart
Every allocation follows the same simple rule:
- Your NIGHT unlocks in four equal installments of 25%.
- Each installment is 90 days apart.
- The first 25% is released on your assigned first-unlock date; the rest follow at +90, +180, and +270 days.
So once you know your first-unlock date, your whole schedule is fully determined.
A worked example
Say your assigned first-unlock date is December 10, 2025. Your four unlocks (each 25%) would be:
| Installment | Date | Cumulative unlocked |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | December 10, 2025 | 25% |
| 2 | March 10, 2026 | 50% |
| 3 | June 8, 2026 | 75% |
| 4 | September 6, 2026 | 100% |
Why is my start date random? (And the 360-day question)
Here is the part that confuses people. Each address is assigned a random first-unlock date, roughly between December 10, 2025 and early March 2026. That randomness spreads unlocks out across the community instead of concentrating them on a single day.
You will also see Midnight describe a "360-day thawing period." That does not mean your personal unlocks span 360 days. Your personal schedule is always 270 days (first unlock to last, i.e. D to D+270). The 360 figure is the global program window: the roughly 90-day random-start window plus each address's 270-day schedule. Both statements are true and not in conflict.
The grace period
After the thawing window ends (around December 4, 2026), there is a 90-day grace period — ending around March 4, 2027 — during which the claim portal remains open. If you have unclaimed NIGHT, do not wait until the last minute; always confirm current deadlines on the official portal.
Find your exact dates
You only need one input to project your full schedule: your assigned first-unlock date, which is shown in the official Midnight claim portal. Enter it into our free Glacier Drop Unlock Tracker and it will lay out all four dates, how much unlocks each time, and how many days until your next unlock. If you do not know your date yet, the tracker can also show the earliest and latest possible schedules.
New to Midnight's tokens? Start with What Is Midnight? NIGHT vs DUST Explained, or browse the Midnight hub for all our guides and tools.
Frequently asked questions
When does my NIGHT unlock? In four 25% installments, 90 days apart, starting on your randomly assigned first-unlock date (then +90, +180, and +270 days).
What is the Glacier Drop thawing period? The overall program runs for about 360 days (a roughly 90-day random-start window plus each address's 270-day, four-installment schedule). Your personal schedule always spans 270 days.
How do I find my first-unlock date? It is assigned randomly per address and shown in the official Midnight claim portal. If you do not know it, use the tracker's range mode to see the earliest and latest scenarios.
What happens if I miss the grace period? After the thawing window ends (around December 4, 2026) there is a roughly 90-day grace period (ending around March 4, 2027) to claim. Always confirm current deadlines on the official portal.
This article is unofficial and for informational purposes only. It is not affiliated with Midnight or Input Output Global (IOG), and it is not financial advice. The schedule follows official Midnight documentation as of writing and may change; your assigned first-unlock date is random per address — verify it on the official claim portal (midnight.network, docs.midnight.network). Dates are in UTC.