ADA Token on Cardano Blockchain Becomes Third-Largest Cryptocurrency as Developers Look to Ride DeFi Boom

ADA saw a jump of over 1,400 percent over the past year, exceeding the returns from both Bitcoin and Ether.

By Joanna Ossinger, Bloomberg | Updated: 17 August 2021 11:28 IST

Highlights

The virtual coin has climbed despite skepticism about its utility
ADA cryptocurrency jumped around 50 percent over the past week
ADA has market value of over $69 billion (roughly Rs. 5,12,360 crores)

ADA Token on Cardano Blockchain Becomes Third-Largest Cryptocurrency as Developers Look to Ride DeFi Boom

Recent rallies in Bitcoin, Ether, ADA, and other tokens helped the cryptocurrency market

A little-known digital token linked to the Cardano blockchain has just become the third-largest virtual currency in the world as network developers look to ride the boom in decentralised finance.

With the so-called ADA cryptocurrency jumping around 50 percent over the past week alone, optimism is rising that new technological enhancements will allow smart contracts on Cardano by its announced goal of September 12. That will enable its network to offer lucrative services like DeFi, where Ethereum currently dominates. ADA Price in India in stood at Rs. 163 while Ethereum price in India stood at Rs. 2.48 lakhs as of 11am IST on August 17.

In a rally met with skepticism by some big industry names, the ADA token now has a market value of more than $69 billion (roughly Rs. 5,12,360 crores) - bigger than all rivals except Bitcoin and Ether, according to tracker CoinGecko. Bitcoin price in India stood at Rs. 36 lakhs as of 11am IST on August 17.

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“The Cardano aficionados have been awaiting - some impatiently - for what seems like an eternity for some news on smart contracts,” said Antoni Trenchev, managing partner and co-founder of crypto lender Nexo. “Cardano is tussling with no. 2 crypto Ethereum to be the preeminent blockchain offering smart contracts.”

The more than 1,400 percent jump in ADA over the past year exceeds the returns from both Bitcoin and Ether.

The virtual coin has climbed despite skepticism about its utility from some prominent cryptocurrency commentators. For instance, Galaxy Digital LP Chief Executive Officer Mike Novogratz posted on Twitter on Sunday that “I spoke to twenty of the smartest people I know in the space, and zero of them saw Cardano having traction” with developers.

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“Most people outside crypto have never even heard of Cardano - yet here it is with a market cap” that tops many S&P 500 index constituents, Trenchev said.

Decentralised finance - or DeFi - ports financial functions onto digital ledgers, allowing people to do things like lend or borrow funds and earn interest in a savings-like account without the need for traditional intermediaries such as banks. Its growing popularity is part of a wider trend of increased blockchain usage.

Recent rallies in Bitcoin, Ether, ADA, and other tokens helped the cryptocurrency market vault past $2 trillion (roughly Rs. 1,48,50,910 crores) in value over the weekend for the first time since May, when the famously volatile sector succumbed to a rout.

Interested in cryptocurrency? We discuss all things crypto with WazirX CEO Nischal Shetty and WeekendInvesting founder Alok Jain on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.