Cardano (ADA) perpetual market

Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain founded in 2015 by Charles Hoskinson, one of Ethereum's co-founders, and developed by IOHK and the Cardano Foundation. Its native token is ADA, named after the mathematician Ada Lovelace. Cardano is known for a research-driven approach, building its protocol on peer-reviewed academic papers and formal methods before shipping features, which made its rollout deliberately gradual across named eras. Its Ouroboros proof-of-stake protocol lets ADA holders delegate to stake pools to help secure the network and earn rewards, and smart contracts arrived with the 2021 Alonzo upgrade. Cardano has emphasized use cases in the developing world, including identity and education pilots. Supporters praise its rigor and decentralization; critics point to slow delivery and thinner on-chain activity than rival smart-contract platforms.