Ethereum vs. Cardano
A neutral side-by-side look at Ethereum (ETH) and Cardano (ADA): live market data, how each one works and what it's for.
Ethereum and Cardano are both proof-of-stake smart-contract platforms. Cardano was founded by Charles Hoskinson, one of Ethereum's co-founders, and takes a research-first approach. Ethereum is older, much larger and has by far the bigger ecosystem of apps and developers.
Live comparison
| Measure | Ethereum ETH | Cardano ADA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | — |
| Market cap | — | — |
| Market cap rank | — | — |
| 24h trading volume | — | — |
| 24h change | — | — |
| 7-day change | — | — |
| Circulating supply | — | — |
| Maximum supply (CoinGecko) | — | — |
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Key facts side by side
| Measure | Ethereum ETH | Cardano ADA |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2015 (July 30) | 2017 (September) |
| Created by | Vitalik Buterin and co-founders; supported by the Ethereum Foundation | Charles Hoskinson; built by IOG with the Cardano Foundation and EMURGO |
| How it's secured | Proof of stake (since the Merge in September 2022) | Proof of stake (Ouroboros) |
| What it's for | A platform for smart contracts: home of most tokens, stablecoins, DeFi and NFTs | A research-driven smart-contract platform with on-chain governance |
| Maximum supply | No fixed maximum (new ETH goes to validators; part of every fee is burned) | 45,000,000,000 ADA |
How they differ
- Origins: Charles Hoskinson helped start Ethereum, left in 2014, and went on to found Cardano.
- Programming model: Ethereum uses an account model and the Solidity language; Cardano uses an extended UTXO model (like Bitcoin's) and languages such as Plutus.
- Supply: ADA is capped at 45 billion; ETH has no fixed cap.
- Scaling: Ethereum leans on layer 2 networks; Cardano is developing its own scaling layers.
This page compares how two cryptocurrencies work. It doesn't say which to buy, and nobody can reliably predict their prices. Both can fall sharply. Read how to research a cryptocurrency before deciding anything.
Questions
Is Ethereum better than Cardano?
Neither is better for everyone. Ethereum has the larger ecosystem and track record; Cardano emphasizes formal research and on-chain governance. This isn't advice to buy either.
Why is one coin's price so much higher than the other's?
The price of a single coin mostly reflects how many coins exist. Ethereum and Cardano have very different supplies, so comparing prices per coin is misleading. Market cap (price × coins in circulation) is a better measure of size; see market cap explained.
Where does the live data come from?
From CoinGecko's public API, averaged across many exchanges and refreshed about once a minute. The facts table comes from each project's own documentation and the references listed under Sources.
Where to next
Sources
- What is ether? (ethereum.org)
- The Merge (ethereum.org)
- ETH supply after the Merge (ethereum.org)
- Cardano documentation
- Cardano (Wikipedia)
- CoinGecko API (live market data)
Facts checked against the sources listed, as of October 29, 2026. Live data by CoinGecko, for information only and possibly delayed. Educational only; not financial advice. How we write and check pages.