What is Cardano
Cardano is a platform for running Smart Contracts and decentralised applications (dApps) which could become a faster and more scalable Ethereum analog.
The network uses its own ADA token which currently ranks 5th, in terms of market capitalisation, with a total market value of over $42 billion according to CoinMarketCap.
Who created Cardano
The platform was launched in 2015 by a group of entrepreneurs led by Charles Hoskinson, one of the first Ethereum developers. He worked on Ethereum together with Vitalik Buterin but left the project before its official launch. After his departure, Hoskinson and Ethereum’s executive assistant, Jeremy Wood, founded the IOHK company. The idea behind the company was to launch a decentralised network with Smart Contracts, sidechains, dApps, and its own utility token.
The platform was named after Gerolamo Cardano, one of the most outstanding mathematicians of his time. The network native token (ADA) took its name after Lord Byron’s daughter, Ada Lovelace. She is considered the world’s first computer programmer because she gave a step-by-step description of the first computing machine and created the first program for it.
Ouroboros consensus algorithm
The Cardano team created its blockchain on the basis of academic research and mathematically verified mechanisms. The heart of the Cardano network is the groundbreaking Ouroboros proof-of-stake consensus protocol that applies cryptography, combinatorics and mathematical game theory. According to the developers, this guarantees reliability, longevity, as well as the consistent performance of the protocol and the distributed networks that depend upon it.
Ouroboros allows users to easily and safely send and receive ADA tokens and ensures the security of Smart cContracts on the Cardano blockchain. At the same time, it rewards token holders who stake their ADA on the network and thus help keep it up and running.
Cardano roadmap
The Cardano roadmap is divided into five phases or eras named after famous science and culture figures: the poets George Gordon Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley and Matsuo Basho, the computer scientist Joseph Amadee Goguen and the philosopher Voltaire. Although the eras of Cardano are delivered sequentially, the work for them is undertaken in parallel. Each phase is centered around its own unique set of functions and reflects the next stage of the network development
Byron (Foundation era) began back in 2017 and ended in 2020. During this period, the first version of the Cardano network was launched, which allowed users to buy and sell the ADA cryptocurrency.
Shelley (Decentralisation era) started on 29th June 2020, with the aim to make the Cardano network 50-100 times more decentralised than other large blockchain networks running on the Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm.
The largest amount of native cryptocurrency (ADA) was delegated to stake pools. According to Staking Rewards, as of 10th June 2021, 22.9 billion ADA is being staked, which is 74% of the circulating supply estimated at 31.1 billion. This is the largest percentage across all blockchains, which makes Cardano the most decentralised network.
Cardano’s complete decentralisation means that the community consisting of more than 2,000 stake pools is now responsible for block creation on the network.
LEVEL UP! So there we have it, 100% decentralized block production on #Cardano .
Thank you to each and every SPO and developer out there who has brought us here, helping build, run & grow #Cardano . This is a great moment. And we're still just getting started. Over to you…
pic.twitter.com/MexAv3HhNP
— Input Output (@InputOutputHK) March 31, 2021
Goguen (Smart Contracts era) kicked off in early March 2021 with the new Mary hard fork. The update allows users to create native tokens similar to the ERC-20 standard on the Ethereum network.
Tim Harrison, marketing and communications director at IOHK, announced the successful testing of the Alonzo Blue hard fork. This update will enable dApps to be hosted, becoming an important milestone towards the implementation of Smart Contracts into the Cardano network. As a result, the project will be able to compete with the Ethereum blockchain.
Basho (Scaling era) During this era, developers will focus on improving network performance and scalability. This will result in greater support for dApps and increased bandwidth. Basho’s key innovations will include sidechains and parallel accounting style.
Voltaire (Governance era) During the final phase of converting the Cardano platform into a self-sustaining system, the concept of “treasury” will be introduced. This is a mechanism where a fraction of all transaction fees will be allocated for development activities aimed at improving the blockchain and the Cardano ecosystem. Also, ADA holders will be able to influence future network development by voting. With the implementation of all these phases, Cardano will end up being a fully decentalised platform governed by the community instead of the IOHK company.
How ADA functions
ADA is the native coin of the Cardano blockchain used for network fees and staking. You can stake and manage your ADA on your DIdeles or Yoroi wallet, as recommended by the project developers. By staking ADA, users support and contribute to the stability of the Cardano network. As part of the Proof-of-Stake consensus algorithm, the staked coins are required for the block validation process. In return, they receive annual rewards of up to 7%.
According to Staking Rewards, as of June 10, 2021, ADA ranks first in staking value.
ADA is one of the top five cryptocurrencies by value according to CoinMarketCap, leaving Dogecoin, Ripple, Polkadot, Uniswap and Litecoin behind. And since it has a limited supply, ADA is inflation-resistant. While ADA’s market value is several times inferior to that of Bitcoin and Ethereum, its annual growth to BTC and ETH is estimated at 389.57% and 82.67%, respectively. On EXMO, ADA’s annual growth to BTC is as much as 494%!
You can buy Cardano with fiat money or with other cryptocurrencies. On the EXMO platform, ADA is traded in pairs with Bitcoin, USD and Tether.
How much ADA costs
ADA has seen steady growth since the beginning of the year. On 16th May 2021, it hit its all-time high of $2.46 on the EXMO exchange.
According to EXMO, the price of ADA to USD has increased by 861% from the beginning of the year till the end of May and by 2267% over the past year.
You can see the current ADA/USD rate on the interactive chart.
How to buy ADA
You can buy Cardano with fiat money or with other cryptocurrencies. On the EXMO platform, ADA is traded in pairs with Bitcoin, USD and Tether.
Trading signals for Cardano (ADA)
Check out the latest data on the current ADA crypto market sentiment as well as coin’s price correlation with bitcoin in real time provided by IntoTheBlock.
Cardano advantages and predictions
Cardano stands out from other crypto projects with its scientific creation approach and an elaborated development plan. In 2020, Cardano became one of the top 50 most innovative crypto projects, according to CoinDesk.
The project founder, Charles Hoskinson, also emphasises the sustainability of the project. In an interview with Forbes, he stated that Cardano is 1.6 million times more energy-efficient than Bitcoin. As a result, the Nasdaq exchange called ADA the best ‘green coins’ to buy.
Cardano implements one of the most decentralised staking models aimed at average users, not at whales. As a result, users can profit from ADA staking even with a hundred tokens in their wallets. This makes ADA very attractive for the blockchain community and investors.
Some experts call Cardano a possible rival to Ethereum because of its robust blockchain system, faster and cheaper transactions and immense commitment to providing a sustainable ecosystem. Furthermore, the competition is expected to get tougher as soon as Smart Contracts are launched on the Cardano mainnet. However, Ethereum is a serious competition.
The project has gained immense popularity following the NFT boom and significantly increased its profits from the DeFi projects built on this blockchain. With all that said, Cardano is unlikely to easily replace ETH as the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency.
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