Cardano (ADA) is a decentralized proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain platform that launched in 2017, initially conceptualized in 2015 by Charles Hoskinson, a co-founder of Ethereum.
Designed to overcome the scaling and infrastructural challenges faced by first-generation blockchains like Bitcoin and second-generation platforms such as Ethereum, Cardano offers a scalable alternative.
As of today, Cardano is one of the largest networks to have successfully implemented a PoS consensus mechanism, which is more energy-efficient than the proof-of-work (PoW) systems used by other blockchains. The functionality of the Cardano blockchain is enhanced by smart contract technology, a concept that was popularized by Ethereum.
