Here's a detailed overview of the **Cardano (ADA)** cryptocurrency:
### ⚙️ 1. **Blockchain Fundamentals**
Cardano is a **proof-of-stake (PoS)** blockchain launched in 2017 by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson. It aims to solve scalability, interoperability, and sustainability issues plaguing earlier blockchains like Bitcoin and Ethereum. Designed as a "third-generation" platform, it supports smart contracts, decentralized applications (dApps), and native tokens.
### ⚡️ 2. **Technology & Consensus**
- Uses **Ouroboros**, a peer-reviewed PoS protocol that randomly selects validators based on staked ADA, ensuring energy efficiency and security.
- Features a **two-layer architecture**:
- **Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL)**: Handles ADA transactions.
- **Cardano Computation Layer (CCL)**: Executes smart contracts, enabling dApps and DeFi.
- Achieves ~1 million transactions/second theoretically via Hydra scaling solutions.
### 💰 3. **Tokenomics & Supply**
- **Max supply**: 45 billion ADA.
- **Circulating supply**: ~36.1 billion ADA (as of 2025).
- **Distribution**: 57.6% sold in ICOs (2015–2017), 16% to founders (IOHK, Emurgo, Cardano Foundation), and 13.8 billion reserved for staking rewards.
### 📈 4. **Market Position**
- **Price**: ~$0.6375 (as of June 2025), down 79.4% from its all-time high of $3.10 (Sept 2021).
- **Market cap**: ~$23 billion, ranking #10–11 globally.
- **Staking rewards**: 5–5.5% APY via delegation or pool operation.
### 💱 5. **Trading Pairs & Exchanges**
ADA trades against:
- **Stablecoins**: ADA/USDT, ADA/USDC.
- **Majors**: ADA/BTC, ADA/ETH.
- **Fiats**: ADA/USD, ADA/EUR.
Top platforms include Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken, with ADA/USDT being the most liquid pair.
### 🔮 6. **Recent Developments**
- **Governance**: 2024's Chang/Plomin hard forks enabled on-chain voting, decentralizing control to ADA holders.
- **Use cases**: Powers DeFi protocols, NFTs, and real-world applications like supply-chain tracking (e.g., Ethiopian coffee) and digital IDs.