Cardano (ADA) is a proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain platform designed for smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Here's a comprehensive overview of Cardano and its native token, ADA:
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🔹 General Information
Name: Cardano
Ticker Symbol: ADA
Launch Year: 2017
Founders: Charles Hoskinson (co-founder of Ethereum)
Developed By: IOHK (Input Output Hong Kong), now known as IOG (Input Output Global)
Governance Organizations:
IOHK/IOG (development)
EMURGO (commercial adoption)
Cardano Foundation (oversight and growth)
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🔹 Technology and Architecture
Cardano is built with a layered architecture:
1. Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL): Handles ADA transactions (like Bitcoin).
2. Cardano Computation Layer (CCL): Supports smart contracts and decentralized apps (like Ethereum).
Key technical highlights:
Consensus Mechanism: Ouroboros (PoS protocol)
Smart Contracts: Plutus (Haskell-based), Marlowe (finance-focused)
Scalability: Hydra Layer 2 solution for high throughput
Interoperability: Plans for cross-chain communication
Sustainability: Treasury system for funding ecosystem growth
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🔹 ADA Token Use Cases
Transaction Fees: Payment for sending funds or interacting with dApps
Staking: Secure the network and earn rewards by delegating or operating a stake pool
Governance (future): Voting on protocol upgrades and funding proposals
Smart Contracts: Utility within dApps on Cardano
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🔹 Tokenomics
Max Supply: 45 billion ADA
Circulating Supply (as of 2025): ~35 billion ADA
Initial Distribution: Conducted via an ICO (2015–2017)
Inflation Model: Decreasing emissions, supported by staking rewards and transaction fees
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🔹 Development Phases ("Eras")
Cardano's roadmap is divided into five eras:
1. Byron: Foundation, ADA launched
2. Shelley: Decentralization, staking
3. Goguen: Smart contracts
4. Basho: Scalability improvements (Hydra)
5. Voltaire: Governance and treasury systems
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🔹 Strengths
Strong academic and peer-reviewed approach
Sustainable and scalable infrastructure
Active global development community
Low-energy PoS consensus
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🔹 Criticism
Slower development compared to competitors
Limited dApp ecosystem compared to Ethereum/Solana
Complex tooling for developers
