Cardano (blockchain platform)
| Cardano | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Denominations | |
| Symbol | ADA, ₳ |
| Code | cardano-node |
| Subunits | 1⁄1,000,000 Lovelace |
| Development | |
| Original author(s) | Charles Hoskinson Jeremy Wood |
| White paper | Cardano whitepaper |
| Initial release | 27 September 2017[1] |
| Latest release | 9.1.0 / 24 July 2024[2] |
| Code repository | cardanoupdates.com |
| Development status | Active |
| Written in | Haskell |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Developer(s) | Cardano Foundation IOHK EMURGO |
| Source model | Free and open-source software |
| License | Apache License |
| Ledger | |
| Timestamping scheme | Proof of stake |
| Block time | 20 seconds |
| Block explorer | Adatools.io |
| Circulating supply | 36.365 billion ₳ (as of Nov. 2023) |
| Supply limit | 45 billion ₳[3] |
| Valuation | |
| Exchange rate | Floating |
| Demographics | |
| Official users | ~3,264 stake pools globally (as of Nov. 2023)[4] |
| Website | cardano.org |
| Uses | Distributed computing |
Cardano is a decentralized blockchain platform founded in 2015 and launched in 2017. Using proof-of-stake, it offers energy efficiency, scalability, and a development environment for decentralized applications.
It is a Swiss-based independent non-profit organization promoting Cardano adoption, focusing on operational resilience, education, and industry engagement, and is led by CEO Frederik Gregaard.
History
Cardano was developed by Ethereum co-founder Charles Hoskinson in 2015 and officially launched in 2017. Marketed as a third-generation blockchain, it is supported by the technology company Input Output Hong Kong (IOHK) and promoted by the Cardano Foundation. The platform aims to provide a more secure and scalable infrastructure for decentralized applications and smart contracts, distinguishing itself from earlier blockchains through a research-driven approach and a layered architecture.
After leaving Ethereum in 2014, Hoskinson, along with Jeremy Wood, began outlining plans for Cardano. Hoskinson had departed Ethereum following a disagreement with co-founder Vitalik Buterin over the project’s direction, with Hoskinson advocating for venture capital funding and a commercial model, while Buterin preferred a nonprofit approach. Subsequently, Hoskinson and Wood co-founded IOHK, which became the primary organization responsible for developing and maintaining the Cardano blockchain, focusing on solutions for corporations, governments, and educational institutions.
In 2021, the University of Edinburgh partnered with IOHK to create a blockchain research lab led by Aggelos Kiayias, advancing distributed ledger research and fostering collaboration