A general-purpose smart contracts blockchain platform from the Cardano Foundation. Introduced in 2017, Cardano uses the Ouroboros proof-of-stake method for consensus. Touted as a third-generation blockchain architecture, according to Cardano's website, the platform's mission is ongoing improvement of (1) scalability using partitioning and compression; (2) interoperability between blockchains and legacy networks; (3) sustainability by accumulating funds for future development. ADA (named after nineteenth-century Ada, Countess of Lovelace) is Cardano's native token. As of June 2022, the contract functionality has not been implemented, and the blockchain only supports the ADA token. See
blockchain,
crypto glossary,
consensus mechanism and
Ada.