Cardano’s academic rigor is world-known. Instead of going full speed with branding initiatives and community-based shilling, this decentralized blockchain ecosystem relies on innovation and peer-reviewed use-case implementations. Simply put, Cardano is one of the more era-defining cryptocurrency projects around. But is this enough reason to buy Cardano or, rather, its native token, ADA?
Buy Cardano (ADA) with few clicks on secure platform
YouHodler
Best for free BTC cloud mining
OKX
Best for mystery box offer
Coinbase
Best for beginners
Methodology for selecting the platforms to buy Cardano
Our testing process for the top platforms to purchase Cardano was conducted over a six month period. When selecting the best platforms for purchasing Cardano, we utilized a comprehensive methodology evaluating key factors such as:
•Fees: Binance, OKX, and Kucoin lead the pack in terms of fees, offering tiered fee structures. Trading fees are a strong determinant for customers. All of these exchanges allow you to hold their native exchange tokens to maximize savings on trading fees. They even allow trading rebates on eligible accounts that meet trading volume requirements and or token holdings.
•Security: Kraken and Coinbase have robust security measures. Both Kraken and Coinbase are U.S. regulated. The former, Kraken, regularly publishes a proof of reserves. What Coinbase lacks in proof of reserves, it makes up for in the fact that it is a publicly traded company in the U.S., and publishes financial statements and its balance sheet on a quarterly basis. Additionally, neither Kraken nor Coinbase have suffered any major hacks.
•Safety funds: While it is not considered insurance, OKX and Kucoin provide safety funds for their customers. On one hand, OKX allocates a portion of funds for security and liquidations. On the other hand, Kucoin has a safety fund for liquidated accounts.
•Regulation: Eightcap and YouHodler are both regulated institutions. YouHodler is regulated in the E.U. and Switzerland, while Eightcap is regulated in Australia. They both offer unique products for their customers. Eightcap is a broker that allows you to trade shares and crypto, and YouHodler offers crypto loans and interest earning products.
Balancing these criteria will guide users towards platforms that offer a secure, cost-effective, and user-friendly environment for crypto transactions. Security, fees, liquidity, user experience, regulatory compliance, transaction fees, and available cryptocurrencies is paramount, so platforms with with these features should be prioritized.
Learn more about BeInCrypto’s methodology verification here.
- Methodology for selecting the platforms to buy Cardano
- What is Cardano?
- Comparing cardano with other cryptocurrencies
- Exploring the Cardano Ecosystem
- Where to buy cardano?
- Binance
- Coinbase
- Kraken
- KuCoin
- Eightcap
- How to buy cardano?
- How to sell cardano (ADA)?
- Cardano price prediction
- Can cardano replace ethereum? And should you buy it now?
- Frequently asked questions
What is Cardano?
Cardano is one of the more intense, research-oriented, programmable, and credible proof-of-stake blockchains on the market. Its founder, Charles Hoskinson, also associated with Ethereum’s founding team, adds to the market presence. Even though Cardano was a tad late to the party of smart contracts, available only after the Alonzo fork of 2021, the chain ensured affordability by keeping the transaction costs on the lower side — an issue that still plagues Ethereum.
Cardano is an open platform that seeks to provide economic identity to the billions who lack it by providing decentralized applications to manage identity, value, and governance.
Charles Hoskinson, founder of Cardano: Twitter
How does Cardano operate?
Cardano relies on a specialized form of proof-of-stake consensus — Ouroboros — with the aim of being energy-efficient. Plus, the blockchain brings forth a two-layer architecture — including a settlement and a computational layer. With this flexibility, Cardano can better manage network resources and ensure that the smart contract performances remain top-notch.
Cardano’s native coin, ADA, is meant to secure the network via Cardano staking. The crypto is also used for intra-blockchain transactions. If you plan to invest in Cadano, it is the ADA price forecast, short-term and long-term, that will be of most interest.
Did you know? Cardano’s much-anticipated Vasil had fork happened a week after the Etherem merge. This fork aimed at making the transactions more affordable while adding to Cardano’s scalability and throughput.
Why is it popular?
There are quite a few reasons that Cardano is among the top-rated blockchains and usually finds itself in the top 10 list by market cap. The reasons include:
- An interoperable blockchain
- Strong DeFi presence
- Phased releases with attention to detail
Comparing cardano with other cryptocurrencies
While Cardano does look like a promising project, let us understand how it compares against other cryptocurrency players.
Cardano vs. Solana
Cardano relies on a novel kind of PoS consensus. In comparison, Solana uses a proof-of-history consensus whilst combining the same with PoS. However, in terms of transaction throughput, Cardano still lags behind Solana, which is capable of hitting 65K per second.
Cardano vs. Ethereum
Often termed an Ethereum killer, Cardano was a tad late to bring smart contract functionality into the mix. However, it still boasts affordability courtesy of a deterministic fee model, which is a lot more accommodative compared to Ethereum.
Exploring the Cardano Ecosystem
With smart contracts coming to Cardano, post the Alonzo upgrade, Cardano’s ecosystem has demonstrably evolved. The blockchain also houses gaming and NFT platforms like SpaceBudz and relies on the inputs of an extended research group and community. Cardano even works closely with Oracle providers like Ergo for sourcing data into specific projects.
Cardano’s DeFi presence
When it comes to the DeFi presence, Cardano finds a place in the top 20 list by total value locked. Two of its most reliable protocols or rather DeFi offerings include ADAX — an ERC-20 converter and DEX, and SundaeSwap, an automated market marker-powered DEX and a liquidity provisioning setup.
Cardano wallets
If you have plans to buy Cardano (ADA), you should always try and store them safely. This is when choosing one of the best Cardano wallets, like YouHodler, Yoroi, and more, becomes important. While these are standard downloadable wallets, a better way to store them is to hold your ADA in a hardware wallet, preferably one from Trezor or Ledger.
Staking or mining cardano
If you’re wondering how to mine cardano, know that this technically isn’t possible. Instead, you can stake cardano, as it is a PoS crypto. Staking your ADA adds to the network security. Also, if you want the Cardano staking convenience, holding ADA in wallets like Yoroi and Daedalus is a better option, as these wallets support direct wallet-based staking.
Where to buy cardano?
If you are ready to buy cardano, the best method would be to onboard a centralized exchange (CEX). Our top options include:
Binance
Our experience with Binance for trading Cardano (ADA) has been impressive, largely due to its exceptional liquidity and a range of trading options. ADA futures trading on Binance enabled us to speculate on price movements effectively. We also engaged in staking ADA on Binance, which is a relatively pretty straightforward way to earn rewards on your holdings. The platform’s comprehensive API support also made it easy for us to integrate our trading strategies with technical analysis tools. Additionally, Binance’s mobile app is indeed pretty solid for most users — new and experienced alike.
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Coinbase
Coinbase has consistently been a user-friendly platform for buying and trading Cardano, particularly for U.S.-based users. Its clean, intuitive interface makes it an excellent choice for those new to cryptocurrency. The educational component, where users can earn crypto while learning about blockchain and crypto, adds to the platform’s charm. We also bought and traded ADA on Coinbase Pro. The experience was largely positive — thanks to the advanced features like detailed charts and lower fees. Additionally, the strong security measures and regulatory compliance of Coinbase ensure peace of mind while doing siable ADA transactions.
Kraken
Kraken offers a secure and versatile platform for buying and trading Cardano. It combines sophisticated trading features with robust security. Our team found Kraken’s diverse order types and staking options invaluable for managing ADA investments of all sizes. The platform also provides detailed transaction reports, which is essential for tracking performance and simplifying tax reporting. Kraken’s commitment to regulatory compliance and transparent fee structure adds to user confidence if you intend to use it as a primary trading platform for ADA.
KuCoin
KuCoin is a popular go-to for Cardano investors worldwide due to its sheer liquidity and user-friendly interface. The platform offers advanced trading options, including futures and margin trading, which we tested comprehensively while diversifying our ADA investment strategies. The result was satisfactory. KuCoin’s lending and staking services also come in quite handy if you are lookin to generate passive income from your Cardano stash. In our assessment, Cardano has one of the most active community and customer support among all large projects of its size.
Eightcap
Eightcap has carved out a niche in Cardano buying and trading activities, particularly with its integration of MetaTrader 4 and 5. We found this integration pretty impactful as it brings along a range of powerful tools for technical analysis. The competitive spreads and range of market access available on Eightcap make it a strong option for diversifying your crypto investments. Additionally, its user interface is streamlined yet powerful, which we found quite impressive as it caters to both novice traders and experienced market players.
All of these options have been selected thanks to having strong offerings among a number of criteria. All have decent liquidity for purchasing ADA and are known to have solid reputations in the crypto industry. In particular, Binance stands out for its trading volume, while Coinbase is the best option for beginners looking to buy cardano with ease.
To buy cardano on a CEX, you should start by verifying your KYC credentials. Before proceeding with the buy order, you should also check the trading pair you are interested in and verify if that pair has decent liquidity. To buy cardano anonymously, you might want to consider DEXs like PancakeSwap.
How to buy cardano?
1. Open the Coinbase app, select trade, and choose cardano in the search bar.
2. Select the amount you would like to purchase.
3. Choose “Place Order” to complete your order.
How to sell cardano (ADA)?
Selling cardano (ADA) involves placing a sell order — market or limit — on the exchange where you hold your ADA. Or, you can transfer ADA from your external wallet to the exchange, eventually selling for fiat.
It is worth noting that Cardano trading is also possible on DEXs — both buying and selling. However, you will need a compatible wallet to connect to the concerned decentralized exchange.
Here’s how to sell cardano on Coinbase.
1. Open the Coinbase app, search for Cardano in “Trade,” and select “Sell.”
3. Type in the amount you would like to sell.
3. Lastly, choose “Place Order” to complete your sell order.
Cardano price prediction
Whether you wish to invest in ADA and hold long-term or indulge in cardano trading, our cardano price prediction can give you an idea of the prospects. If we look at the long-term picture, say up till 2035, our price prediction model foresees a strong price level of $22.04 for ADA.
Note that predictions, despite being based on technical analysis, fundamental analysis, and more, can only give potential indications as opposed to definites. Always do your own research.
Can cardano replace ethereum? And should you buy it now?
Even though cardano is quickly moving up the ranking charts, it is still way off Ethereum regarding market cap, DApp coverage, DeFi offerings, and more. However, as it is a tech-aligned blockchain, users looking to buy cardano (ADA) with a long-term vision might be better poised financially.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy cardano now?
Will cardano reach $10?
How can I buy cardano in the U.S.?
How much cardano will be in 2025?
Can Cardano hit $100?
Should I buy cardano or solana?
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