Cardano

Cardano is a layer-one blockchain that supports smart contracts and runs on proof of stake. ADA is this network's own coin; it is not a token issued on another chain but resides directly on Cardano's ledger. Organizations such as Input Output, the Cardano Foundation and EMURGO play a role in the project's development; Cardano is known for a development approach based on academic papers and peer review.

The network's consensus mechanism is called Ouroboros: the right to produce blocks is distributed among stake pools according to the amount of ADA delegated to them. ADA holders can earn rewards by delegating their coins to a pool without locking them. Cardano uses the eUTXO model, which extends the UTXO structure of Bitcoin, and smart contracts are written in Plutus. ADA is used to pay transaction fees, for staking and as voting power in on-chain governance; the governance structure also includes representatives known as DReps.

Factors that can affect the price of Cardano include the use of decentralized applications and stablecoins on the network, protocol upgrades, competition with rival smart contract platforms and regulations concerning crypto assets. The price on Lzzo.com comes from the ADA/USDT pair on Binance and is converted into US dollars at Coinbase Exchange's USDT/USD rate; the chart shows this dollar-based series.