Cardano is a Proof-of-Stake blockchain built on peer-reviewed research, with ADA as its native token. It's known for energy efficiency, on-chain governance, and a methodical development approach.
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Cardano was founded by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson and launched in 2017. Its distinguishing trait is process: protocol changes are grounded in peer-reviewed academic research and formal methods, an approach that prioritizes security and correctness over speed of shipping.
ADA, named after mathematician Ada Lovelace, secures the network through the Ouroboros Proof-of-Stake protocol. Holders can delegate ADA to stake pools and earn rewards of roughly 2-4% per year without locking their funds, one of the most flexible staking designs among major chains.
Cardano reached a governance milestone with the 2024 Chang upgrade and the Voltaire era: ADA holders now vote on protocol changes and treasury spending, making it one of the largest blockchains with fully on-chain governance.
With a hard cap of 45 billion ADA, broad exchange support, and an active global community - particularly strong in emerging markets, Cardano remains a fixture of the top ten.
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Cardano hosts smart contracts, DeFi, NFTs, and identity projects, with ADA used for fees, staking, and governance voting. Holders help decide protocol upgrades and treasury spending on-chain.
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