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Beginner Guide

What is Cardano (ADA)?

De wetenschapsgedreven blockchain. Gebouwd op peer-reviewed onderzoek, Ouroboros Proof-of-Stake en een methodische roadmap van Byron tot Voltaire.

PoS
Ouroboros Consensus
3,000+
Stake Pools
140+
Onderzoekspapers
~4.5%
Staking APY
18 min read
Bijgewerkt januari 2026

What is Cardano?

Cardano is a third-generation blockchain platform that takes a research-first approach to cryptocurrency development. Founded by Charles Hoskinson (Ethereum co-founder) in 2015, Cardano distinguishes itself through peer-reviewed academic research and formal verification methods.

Unlike blockchains that 'move fast and break things,' Cardano prioritizes security and sustainability through rigorous scientific processes. This methodical approach has attracted institutions, governments, and enterprises seeking reliable blockchain infrastructure.

Key Point

Cardano is unique in that it's the first blockchain platform built on peer-reviewed research and developed through evidence-based methods. Every feature is backed by formal academic papers.

Academic Rigor

Built on peer-reviewed research from top universities worldwide

Layered Architecture

Separate settlement and computation layers for flexibility

Global Mission

Focused on providing financial services to the unbanked

The Science Behind Cardano

Cardano's development is backed by IOHK (Input Output Hong Kong), which employs dozens of researchers and partners with universities worldwide including Edinburgh, Tokyo, and Wyoming.

Epochs Begrijpen

Epoch 0Slot 0/20
Slot Visualization (3 Epochs)
Epoch 0Epoch 1Epoch 2
Total Slots
0/60
Current Epoch
0
Slot Duration
1 sec

Real Values: Each epoch lasts ~5 days (432,000 slots). Each slot is 1 second. Staking rewards are distributed at epoch boundaries.

Time in Cardano is divided into epochs (approximately 5 days) and slots (1 second each). For each slot, a slot leader is selected through a verifiable random function (VRF) to produce the next block. The probability of selection is proportional to the stake controlled.

Ouroboros Proof-of-Stake

1
VRF Lottery
2
Leader Selected
3
Block Created
4
Chain Extended
Pool A
25% stake
Pool B
35% stake
Pool C
20% stake
Pool D
15% stake
Pool E
5% stake
Blockchain
Genesis

Ready to simulate Ouroboros consensus

Ouroboros Versions

1
ClassicOriginal version with honest majority assumption
2
PraosAdded privacy and semi-synchronous network assumptions
3
GenesisEnables secure joining from genesis block
4
LeiosFuture version for massive throughput scaling

Ouroboros Explained

Ouroboros is Cardano's revolutionary Proof-of-Stake consensus protocol. It's the first PoS protocol with mathematically proven security guarantees, published and peer-reviewed at crypto conferences.

Research-First Development

  • 140+ peer-reviewed papers published
  • Collaborations with top universities
  • Formal verification of code

Development Partners

  • IOHK - Engineering & research
  • Emurgo - Commercial adoption
  • Cardano Foundation - Standards & governance

Formal Methods

"Cardano uses Haskell, a functional programming language known for its mathematical precision. This allows formal verification - mathematically proving that code behaves as intended."

ADA Token Utility

ADA is the native cryptocurrency of the Cardano network, named after Ada Lovelace, the 19th-century mathematician considered the first computer programmer.

De Vijf Era's van Cardano

Goguen

2021-2023

In Progress

Smart contracts era - Enabled DeFi, NFTs, and dApps

Plutus smart contracts
Native tokens & NFTs
DApp ecosystem growth

Staking on Cardano

Cardano staking is unique because it requires no lockup period. Your ADA remains liquid and in your wallet while delegated to a stake pool.

ADA Token Verdeling

45B
Max Supply
Public ICO
25.9B ADA57.6%
IOHK
5.2B ADA11.5%
Emurgo
5.2B ADA11.5%
Cardano Foundation
2.9B ADA6.4%
Staking Rewards Reserve
5.9B ADA13%

Note: Unlike Bitcoin, ADA has a maximum supply of 45 billion tokens. The remaining ~10B ADA will be distributed as staking rewards over time.

Supply Metrics

Max Supply45,000,000,000 ADA
Circulating~35,000,000,000 ADA
Staked~70%

ADA Units

1 ADA1,000,000 Lovelace
1 Lovelace0.000001 ADA

Named after Ada Lovelace, the smallest unit of ADA

Cardano vs Competitors

Feature
Cardano
E
Ethereum
S
Solana
ConsensusOuroboros PoSPoS (Casper)PoH + PoS
TPS (Layer 1)~250~30~65,000
Block Time20 sec12 sec0.4 sec
Transaction Fee~$0.20~$1-50~$0.00025
Smart ContractsPlutus (Haskell)SolidityRust
Staking MinNo minimum32 ETHNo minimum
Launch Year201720152020
Max Supply45B ADAUnlimited*Unlimited*
* Ethereum and Solana have inflationary supply models but include token burning mechanisms.

Cardano Roadmap

Cardano's development is divided into five eras, each named after notable figures in computer science and mathematics. This structured approach ensures sustainable, well-tested upgrades.

ADA Staking Rewards Calculator

100100,000
2%7%
1 month5 years
Per Epoch (~5 days)
6.16 ADA
Monthly Rewards
37.50 ADA
Epochs in Period
73
Total Rewards
450.00 ADA
Final ADA Value
10,450 ADA
+4.50% growth
* Estimates based on current network parameters. Actual rewards may vary.

Staking Benefits

  • No minimum amount required
  • No lockup period - spend anytime
  • Automatic compounding rewards
  • No slashing risk

Choosing a Stake Pool

  • Check pool saturation (<100%)
  • Review pool margin fees (0-5%)
  • Look at historical performance
  • Consider pool pledge amount

Ecosysteem & DeFi

Sinds het Goguen-tijdperk smart contracts bracht, is het Cardano ecosysteem gegroeid met DEXes, leenprotocollen, NFT-marktplaatsen en meer.

Plutus Platform

  • Gebaseerd op Haskell - sterke typeveiligheid
  • eUTXO model - voorspelbare kosten
  • Ondersteuning voor formele verificatie
  • Native tokens zonder smart contracts

DApp Ecosysteem

  • DEXs: SundaeSwap, Minswap, MuesliSwap
  • NFT Marketplaces: JPG Store, CNFT.io
  • Uitlenen: Liqwid Finance, Lenfi
  • Stablecoins: Djed, iUSD

Extended UTXO Model

In tegenstelling tot Ethereum's account-gebaseerde model, gebruikt Cardano een Extended UTXO (eUTXO) model. Dit biedt deterministische transactiekosten, parallelle verwerkingscapaciteit en verbeterde beveiliging voor smart contracts.

Hoe ADA te Kopen

Voordelen

  • Peer-reviewed, wetenschappelijk rigoureuze ontwikkeling
  • Energie-efficiënte proof-of-stake consensus
  • Geen minimum staking, geen lock-up, geen slashing
  • Voorspelbare transactiekosten (eUTXO)
  • Native tokens zonder smart contract kosten
  • Sterk governanceroadmap (Voltaire)

Nadelen

  • Langzamer ontwikkelingstempo dan concurrenten
  • Kleiner DeFi-ecosysteem dan Ethereum
  • Haskell/Plutus leercurve voor ontwikkelaars
  • Lagere Layer 1 TPS dan sommige concurrenten
  • eUTXO modelcomplexiteit voor sommige gebruikssituaties
  • Minder institutionele adoptie dan Ethereum

Voor- en Nadelen

ADA is een van de meest beschikbare cryptocurrencies, genoteerd op vrijwel alle grote beurzen. Zo begin je:

1

Kies een Beurs

Selecteer een gerenommeerde beurs zoals Binance, Coinbase of Kraken die ADA vermeldt

2

Account Aanmaken & Verifiëren

Meld je aan en voltooi KYC-verificatie met je ID

3

Stort Geld

Voeg geld toe via bankoverschrijving, creditcard of crypto-storting

4

Koop ADA

Zoek naar ADA/USDT of ADA/USD en plaats je kooporder

5

Staken of Opslaan

Overmaken naar Daedalus/Yoroi portemonnee en delegeren naar een stake pool voor beloningen

Aanbevolen Portemonnees

Daedalus

Volledige node portemonnee - meest veilig, synchroniseert hele blockchain

Yoroi

Lichte portemonnee - browserextensie, mobiele app

Belangrijkste Conclusies

Cardano hanteert een research-first aanpak met 100+ peer-reviewed papers die de ontwikkeling ondersteunen
Ouroboros is het eerste bewijsbaar veilige Proof-of-Stake consensusprotocol
Staking is liquide zonder lock-up - verdien ~4-5% APY terwijl je ADA toegankelijk blijft
De vijf-era roadmap (Byron tot Voltaire) zorgt voor methodische, duurzame ontwikkeling
Volledig gedecentraliseerde governance via Project Catalyst en on-chain stemmen
45B max voorraad met ~4-5% staking beloningen

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