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Cardano

ADA Launched 2017 source

Launch

• Launched in 2017. secondary source source

Founders and creators

• Charles Hoskinson, a co-founder of Ethereum. secondary source source

Origin story

• Ada, the native currency of Cardano, is named after Ada Lovelace, a 19th-century mathematician recognized as the first computer programmer. primary source source

Stated purpose

• Cardano uses design principles intended to overcome issues such as scalability, interoperability, and a lack of regulatory compliance faced by earlier cryptocurrencies. secondary source source

Consensus mechanism

• Cardano is a decentralized third-generation proof-of-stake blockchain platform and home to the ada cryptocurrency. primary source source

Supply model

• Maximum supply of 45 billion ADA. secondary source source

Main uses today

• The second layer is the computation layer and is designed to be similar to Ethereum, enabling smart contracts and applications to run on the platform. secondary source source

Key milestones

• CIP-1694 was implemented through the Chang upgrade and subsequent Plomin hard fork in 2024 establishing "on-chain" governance. secondary source source
• Cardano implemented decentralized finance (DeFi) services on September 12, 2021, including an upgrade to enable smart contracts. secondary source source

Notable events and controversies

• Once part of Cardano's Voltaire phase, CIP-1694 was implemented through the Chang upgrade and subsequent Plomin hard fork in 2024 establishing "on-chain" governance. secondary source source

Sources & studies

1. coinmarketcap.com
2. cardano.org
3. en.wikipedia.org
4. docs.cardano.org

Last checked: 2026-11-04 · Prices, market caps and circulating supply are left out on purpose because they change by the minute. Educational, not financial advice.

Education only, not financial advice. No signals. Backtests are hypothetical: real trading can be worse. Past results don't predict future results.