Cardano is a blockchain platform that operates on a proof-of-stake system and aims to facilitate positive global change by empowering individuals and redistributing power from centralized entities.

It was founded in 2017 and is named after Gerolamo Cardano, an Italian polymath, while its native token, ADA, is named after Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer.

ADA token holders have voting rights on software changes. Cardano’s technology enables the development of decentralized apps and smart contracts with modularity. The introduction of the Alonzo hard fork in August 2021, which brought smart contract functionality, led to a significant increase in Cardano’s price and the deployment of numerous smart contracts.