ADA

Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform that takes a research-first approach to protocol development, with its core design published through peer-reviewed academic papers. The network runs on the Ouroboros consensus protocol and uses a UTXO-based accounting model (Extended UTXO) rather than the account model used by Ethereum and most EVM chains. ADA is the native token used for transaction fees, staking delegation, and on-chain governance. Cardano's smart contract capability was introduced through the Alonzo upgrade, enabling decentralized applications written in Plutus (Haskell-based) and Aiken. The ecosystem includes DeFi protocols, identity solutions, and partnerships focused on developing-world use cases such as credential verification and supply chain tracking. For traders, ADA tends to move with broad altcoin cycles but also responds to Cardano-specific development milestones, governance votes, and staking yield dynamics.