$ADA O **Cardano (ADA)** is the native cryptocurrency of the **Cardano** platform, launched in 2017 by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson. Unlike many blockchains that adopt the proof of work (PoW) model, Cardano uses a **proof of stake (PoS)** protocol called **Ouroboros**, which is considered one of the most secure and energy-efficient in the market. This model allows any ADA holder to participate in transaction validation and network governance simply by delegating their tokens to a “stake pool”, receiving rewards proportional to their contribution.

Since the **Shelley** update (2020), Cardano has become fully decentralized, with thousands of nodes operated by a global community. In 2021, the **Alonzo** phase introduced **smart contracts**, unleashing a universe of decentralized applications (dApps), DeFi (decentralized finance), and NFTs on the network. Unlike other platforms, Cardano follows a **scientific and peer-reviewed** approach, where each improvement must undergo rigorous academic reviews before being implemented.

The ADA ecosystem includes digital identity projects for unbanked populations, supply chain traceability solutions, and government initiatives in countries like Ethiopia. On-chain governance, via the Cardano treasury, ensures that ADA holders vote on improvement proposals and fund allocation, promoting self-sustaining evolution. With a maximum supply of 45 billion coins and a strong focus on scalability (future phases like **Hydra**), ADA positions itself as one of the leading assets of the Web3 movement, uniting security, sustainability, and innovation.