Cardano (ADA) is a Proof-of-Stake blockchain that supports smart contracts and enables the creation of decentralized apps (dApps), tokens, and more. It is designed to be scalable, sustainable, and flexible. The Cardano network uses Ouroboros, a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, which allows ADA token holders to delegate their tokens to staking pools run by validators to validate transactions. Cardano was launched in 2017 by Charles Hoskinson and Jeremy Wood and is now maintained by three organizations and its community. ADA is the native token of the Cardano network and is used to pay for transaction fees and can be used for governance or to earn rewards through Proof-of-Stake consensus. The current era, Basho, focuses on scalability and network optimization, while the final era, Voltaire, will bring voting and treasury management to the network.