Cardano is one of the largest cryptocurrencies by market cap. It is a blockchain platform built to be flexible, sustainable, and scalable, with the goal of running smart contracts that power decentralized finance (DeFi), gaming, digital identity, and more.
Its native token, ADA, is to Cardano what ETH is to Ethereum. You can buy and sell ADA on major exchanges like Coinbase, Binance, or Kraken. Beyond investment, ADA can store value, be used for payments, cover transaction fees, and be staked to help secure the network while earning rewards.
A brief history
Cardano was founded in 2015 by Charles Hoskinson and Jeremy Wood with the aim of building a research-driven blockchain. The network launched publicly in 2017 during the Byron era, which introduced basic ADA transactions and the Daedalus wallet. It was a modest beginning, but it laid the foundation for what came next.
Since then, Cardano has progressed through five main eras:
- Byron (2017–2020) established the core architecture and began decentralization.
- Shelley (2020) expanded participation through staking and community-run nodes.
- Goguen (2021) enabled smart contracts and decentralized apps with the Alonzo upgrade.
- Basho (2022–2023) focused on scalability, including Hydra, a layer-2 protocol for higher throughput.
- Voltaire (from 2024) added on-chain governance and a treasury system, making the network self-sustaining and community-led.
By early 2025, Cardano had grown to more than 5.2 million wallets, over 1.3 million delegated staking accounts, 10 million native tokens, and 108 million on-chain transactions. More than 131,000 Plutus scripts had been deployed. Looking ahead, the roadmap emphasizes scaling, governance, and interoperability as Cardano strengthens its role as a platform for finance, identity, and decentralized applications.
ADA, the chain’s token
ADA is named after Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century mathematician often regarded as the first computer programmer. It powers the Cardano network by paying transaction fees, securing the chain through staking, and enabling governance, where holders will vote on proposals and upgrades.
ADA can be stored in self-custodial wallets such as Daedalus, Yoroi, Eternl, or Lace, or in hardware wallets like Ledger and Trezor for added security.
A proof of stake blockchain
Cardano was designed to be more energy-efficient than blockchains that rely on proof of work. Bitcoin, for example, uses mining, where thousands of machines compete to solve puzzles. While secure, this consumes enormous amounts of electricity.
Cardano instead uses a proof of stake protocol called Ouroboros. Validators are chosen to create new blocks based on how much ADA they have staked and for how long. Other validators confirm the block, and once accepted, rewards are distributed between validators and delegators. This system secures the network while using only a fraction of the energy required by proof of work.
The UTXO model
Cardano uses the UTXO model (Unspent Transaction Output) to track balances, the same method Bitcoin uses. Each transaction consumes earlier outputs and creates new ones that can be spent later.
It works much like cash: if you pay with a $10 bill for a $6 item, the bill is spent and two new outputs are created: $6 for the shop and $4 back to you as change.
The UTXO model offers clear ownership, straightforward verification, and efficient parallel processing. Cardano extends it with EUTXO (Extended UTXO), which allows outputs to carry both value and spending conditions. This makes smart contracts more predictable and easier to verify before a transaction is submitted.
NFTs on Cardano
In 2021, Cardano introduced native tokens, allowing anyone to create digital assets directly on the blockchain. On Ethereum, NFTs and stablecoins are built with smart contracts, which add extra cost and complexity.
On Cardano, native tokens are part of the same framework as ADA. This makes them cheaper to use, more secure, and less prone to errors.
For creators, that means lower fees and simpler deployment. For users, it means NFTs and other assets move like ADA itself: fast, predictable, and efficient.
World Mobile on Cardano
World Mobile’s blockchain journey began on Cardano. In 2021 it partnered with IOHK, now Input Output Global, to build on the platform. The team chose Cardano for its Ouroboros[1], Hydra[2], Plutus[3], and Atala PRISM[4]. The public WMT token sale also launched on Cardano with a mission to bring affordable connectivity to unconnected communities in places like Zanzibar and rural Tanzania.
Cardano was also the launchpad for World Mobile’s EarthNodes, the validator layer of the network. Licenses to operate EarthNodes were issued as NFTs on Cardano, anchoring operator rights on chain.
Token evolved to become multi chain
Over time, Cardano’s Hydra roadmap matured more slowly than World Mobile needed. Telecom networks generate large volumes of real-time data, so the project looked for higher throughput and faster settlement.
By early 2025, World Mobile had shifted to a multi chain model. The token, now WMTx, is supported on Cardano and EVM networks, with staking live on both. This lets users stake from either side and earn rewards without manual bridging.
World Mobile Chain launched
In parallel, World Mobile launched its own layer 3 rollup on Base, Coinbase’s layer 2. This blockchain is tailored for telecom-scale workloads, from session records (IPDRs) to decentralized identity.
Cardano still matters. WMTx staking continues on Cardano, and EarthNode NFTs remain native to the Cardano chain. Cardano stays a core layer, even as World Mobile expands its infrastructure beyond its original home.
How to bridge from Cardano to Base
There isn’t a direct Cardano → Base bridge yet. To move WMTx, you currently need to go through Ethereum first:
- Use the SingularityNET bridge to move WMTx from Cardano to Ethereum.
- Then use Chainlink Transporter to send it from Ethereum to Base.
You’ll need a Cardano wallet, an EVM wallet (like MetaMask), a small amount of ADA for fees, and ETH for gas.
For the full step-by-step guide, see: How to Convert WMTx from Cardano to Base.
Where can you buy WMTx on Cardano
WMTx is available on several decentralized exchanges (DEXs) on Cardano, including Minswap and WingRiders. You’ll need ADA in your wallet to trade.
WMTx can also be bought on centralized exchanges such as KuCoin, DigiFinex, and LCX. But if you specifically want the Cardano-native version, a Cardano DEX is the most direct route.
The bottom line
Cardano is a blockchain built on research and sustainability, designed to balance speed, security, and real-world utility. Powered by ADA, it supports payments, smart contracts, staking, and governance.
Its vision goes beyond competing with Ethereum. Cardano aims to prove that a blockchain can be scalable, energy-efficient, and built to last.