$ADA

Origins (2015–2017)

Cardano began in 2015, founded by Charles Hoskinson (also a co-founder of Ethereum). His vision: a more secure, scalable, and sustainable blockchain. In 2017, Cardano officially launched along with its native token, ADA — named after pioneering mathematician Ada Lovelace.

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🔧 Laying the Foundation (2017–2019)

Cardano’s early focus was all about research and building a solid base. In 2019, the Shelley era kicked off, bringing decentralization and staking — letting users help secure the network and earn rewards.

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🧠 Smart Contracts Arrive (2020–2021)

In 2021, Cardano took a big leap with the Alonzo upgrade, enabling smart contracts. This opened the door to DeFi, NFTs, and decentralized apps. ADA surged to an all-time high of $3.10 in September 2021.

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🏗️ Expanding and Refining (2022–2024)

Though some updates came slower than expected, Cardano kept advancing. The Vasil upgrade boosted performance, and the network remained energy-efficient thanks to its Proof of Stake model. Real-world projects, like digital identity systems in Africa, showed Cardano’s broader mission.

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📊 Today and What’s Ahead (2025)

Now a top 10 cryptocurrency, Cardano continues to grow — more focused than flashy. It’s currently working on Hydra (for faster scaling) and Voltaire (to hand governance over to the community), aiming to become a truly decentralized ecosystem.