Cardano

On the record

Current usage snapshot

The homepage reported 103 curated apps to explore and nine years on mainnet in a snapshot covering October 1–31, 2026.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Fees

Transaction fees follow a fixed protocol formula rather than an auction.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Governance

Community governance includes Delegated Representatives, stake-pool operators, and a Constitutional Committee.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Learning resources

Cardano.org provides a five-stage learning path from beginner topics to advanced research, data, courses, and developer material.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Network consensus

Cardano uses Ouroboros proof-of-stake consensus, with stake pools selected according to delegated ada.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Research and implementation

Cardano says its protocols are based on peer-reviewed research and formal methods, and its node is written in Haskell.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Staking

Stake-pool delegation is non-custodial, has no lock-up period or minimum delegation amount, and has no slashing penalty.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Tokens and smart contracts

Cardano supports native tokens and smart contracts; creating or transferring a token does not require a smart contract.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Use cases

Cardano is presented for individuals, businesses, and public-sector use cases including payments, staking, token issuance, supply-chain data, and digital identity.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Wallet disclaimer

Wallet listings are informational only and are not endorsed or approved by Cardano.org.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Wallet ecosystem

The official wallet finder lists wallets for web, desktop, mobile, and browser extensions, with capabilities such as staking, governance, and dApp connectivity.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

What it is

Cardano is a public proof-of-stake blockchain for sending ada, creating tokens, running applications, and voting on network changes.cardano.org · read 14 Nov 2026

Alternatives to Cardano

Every alternative, ranked