$ADA

Here’s a concise history of ADA (Cardano's native cryptocurrency)—covering its origins, development milestones, and price history:

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🧬 Origins and Foundation

2015: Cardano was founded by Charles Hoskinson, one of the co-founders of Ethereum. It was developed by IOHK (Input Output Hong Kong), with oversight from the Cardano Foundation and Emurgo.

2017: ADA launched after a long peer-reviewed development process, focused on creating a secure, scalable, and sustainable blockchain.

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🧠 Unique Aspects of Cardano

Proof of Stake (PoS): Cardano uses Ouroboros, a PoS consensus algorithm, making it energy-efficient.

Peer-reviewed: Cardano is known for its academic, research-driven approach, publishing scientific papers and formal methods before implementation.

Multi-layer architecture:

Settlement Layer (CSL) – Handles ADA transactions.

Computational Layer (CCL) – Supports smart contracts and DApps.

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📈 Major Milestones

2017: ADA listed on major exchanges; price surged during the crypto boom.

2018: Began developing smart contract capabilities.

2020 - Shelley Upgrade: Introduced staking and network decentralization.

2021 - Goguen Upgrade: Enabled smart contracts, allowing developers to build DApps.

2022 - Vasil Hard Fork: Improved performance and scalability.

2023–2024: Focused on Voltaire era (governance), and development of Hydra for layer 2 scaling.