How Cardano Could Help You Retire a Millionaire

Core Insights - Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) was launched eight years ago with an initial trading price of $0.02, reaching a peak of $3.10 in September 2021, which would have turned a $10,000 investment into $1.55 million [1] - Currently, Cardano trades at approximately $0.65, making that initial investment worth about $325,000 today, reflecting a 3,150% gain over eight years [2] Unique Features of Cardano - Cardano was created by Charles Hoskinson, a co-founder of Ethereum, and utilizes a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, distinguishing it from proof-of-work (PoW) cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin [3] - It operates on its proprietary PoS blockchain called Ouroboros, which introduced staking features in 2020 and smart contracts in 2021, enabling decentralized applications (dApps) and other crypto assets [4] - Cardano employs formal peer reviews for project approvals, a key differentiator from Ethereum, which does not utilize this process, potentially enhancing security and scalability [5] Performance Metrics - Cardano's Layer-1 (L1) blockchain can achieve speeds of approximately 250 transactions per second (TPS), significantly higher than Ethereum's average L1 speed of 15 to 30 TPS, with Layer-2 (L2) Hydra heads capable of reaching around 1,000 TPS [6] - Cardano charges fixed transaction fees, often making it more cost-effective than Ethereum, which experiences surge pricing during network congestion [7] - Cardano has a fixed maximum supply of 45 billion tokens, with most pre-mined at launch, contrasting with Ethereum's infinite supply that varies with network activity [7] Market Position - Cardano's price has seen significant growth over the past eight years, positioning it as a competitor to Ethereum with a faster and more secure blockchain and stable fees [8] - However, Cardano may face challenges in attracting developers away from the established Ethereum ecosystem [8]