Cardano ADA

Consensus runs on proof of stake: time is cut into slots, the right to propose a block is drawn in proportion to stake, and a holder can delegate that stake to a pool without handing over the funds or locking them — they stay available at any moment. Accounting uses an extended unspent-output model rather than accounts, so the outcome of a contract is predictable before the transaction is sent and the fee is known in advance.

Supply is capped at forty-five billion coins. A share of fees flows into a network treasury that funds community proposals by vote, and development is carried in parallel by several independent organisations rather than a single company. Smart contracts did not arrive at launch: for several years the chain settled transfers and nothing more, which shaped its reputation for a long time.

The output-based accounting model buys predictability but complicates porting applications written for Ethereum's familiar account model.