The Acala Foundation has announced plans to permanently shut down the Acala parachain on Polkadot and the Karura network on Kusama. The proposed closure date is February 10, 2027, pending the approval of Acala Referendum #195 and Karura Referendum #137.
Users are required to withdraw external assets, including DOT, KSM, and bridged stablecoins like USDT and USDC, before the final deadline. The foundation emphasizes that users must manage their own fund transfers, as no recovery mechanism will be available after the networks cease operations.
Specific deadlines apply to liquid staking positions. Holders of LDOT must unbond their assets by January 12, 2027, while LKSM holders have until February 2, 2027. Native tokens ACA and KAR cannot be withdrawn and will remain on their respective chains.
The Acala and Karura networks were launched to provide DeFi services, including liquid staking and decentralized exchanges. The project has faced operational challenges, including a 2022 minting exploit and the discontinuation of Wormhole bridge support in 2025.
