Smart contracts – here we come

Alonzo will build on Cardano’s token upgrades to give developers the tools for crafting business applications

8 April 2021 Olga Hryniuk 6 mins read

Smart contracts – here we come

At the start of March, we implemented Mary ‒ a multi-asset protocol upgrade that allows users to create unique tokens for transactions on Cardano. With the introduction of transaction metadata, then token-locking with Allegra in December, and native token creation, we are laying the foundation to establish Cardano as the leading smart contract platform.

Alonzo, our next…

Boosting network decentralization with P2P

Peer-to-peer communication between stake pools will make Cardano more dynamic and more efficient as the network grows

6 April 2021 Olga Hryniuk 7 mins read

Boosting network decentralization with P2P

The decentralization of Cardano puts responsibility for running the blockchain in the hands of stake pools. An essential element in this is reliable and effective connections between all the distributed nodes, and ensuring that the network is resilient to failure.

With the simpler Byron version of the blockchain, federated (OBFT) nodes controlled by the Cardano Foundation…

Announcing a new round of community stake pool delegation

We’re using our ada to support operators running single pools helping support the Cardano network and community

1 April 2021 Ben O'Hanlon 4 mins read

Announcing a new round of community stake pool delegation

As we celebrated in yesterday’s blog about D=0 day, block production is now 100% in the hands of the Cardano stake pool operator (SPO) community. Community pools are the lifeblood of the network. And earlier this year we confirmed our commitment to a vibrant proof-of-stake (PoS) ecosystem when we delegated over 300M ada to our first cohort of community stake pools.

The number of pools now stands at over 2,000 – responsible for nearly three-quarters of the ada in circulation. Their efforts sustain the network and greatly contribute to the success and recognition of the Ouroboros protocol, setting a clear standard for any

Everything you need to know about our new Plutus Pioneer Program

Learn Plutus and become a certified Plutus Pioneer with our new series of interactive training courses – starting next week

1 April 2021 Niamh Ahern 5 mins read

Everything you need to know about our new Plutus Pioneer Program

Next week sees the start of the first in a series of our Plutus pioneer training programs where participants can learn the fundamentals of Plutus and help to test the code before the official release of our new smart contract language. This new innovative program aims to recruit and train developers within the ecosystem so that they are fully prepared when Plutus is deployed to…

Decentralization: to D=0 Day and beyond

Stake pool operators today take over block production and their role is set only to grow

31 March 2021 Tim Harrison 7 mins read

Decentralization: to D=0 Day and beyond

Today at 21:44:51 GMT, block production on Cardano will be fully decentralized. That is a watershed. From a federated network of seven core nodes run by IOHK, Emurgo, and the Cardano Foundation, we’ll emerge into a decentralized landscape where the stake pool operator (SPOs) community will produce 100% of blocks.

Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform, founded on peer…