Don't invest unless you're prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more.
Estimated reading time: 2 min
Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers this investment to be high risk.
What are the key risks?
1. You could lose all the money you invest
The performance of most cryptoassets can be highly volatile, with their value dropping as quickly as it can rise. You should be prepared to lose all the money you invest in cryptoassets.
The cryptoasset market is largely unregulated. There is a risk of losing money or any cryptoassets you purchase due to risks such as cyber-attacks, financial crime and firm failure.
2. You should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) doesn't protect this type of investment because it's not a 'specified investment' under the UK regulatory regime – in other words, this type of investment isn't recognised as the sort of investment that the FSCS can protect. Learn more by using the FSCS investment protection checker.
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will not be able to consider complaints related to this firm or Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here.
3. You may not be able to sell your investment when you want to
There is no guarantee that investments in cryptoassets can be easily sold at any given time. The ability to sell a cryptoasset depends on various factors, including the supply and demand in the market at that time.
Operational failings such as technology outages, cyber-attacks and comingling of funds could cause unwanted delay and you may be unable to sell your cryptoassets at the time you want.
4. Cryptoasset investments can be complex
Investments in cryptoassets can be complex, making it difficult to understand the risks associated with the investment.
You should do your own research before investing. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
5. Don't put all your eggs in one basket
Putting all your money into a single type of investment is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.
A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.
If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA's website here.
For further information about cryptoassets, visit the FCA's website here.
Cardano (ADA) is a cryptoasset that currently ranks as the 10th largest by market cap (that's the total value of Cardano in circulation – $36.9 billion).
Like all cryptoassets, it's highly volatile, and capable of major price swings in a single day. As of 18 December, ADA is trading for $1.03 (£0.82), a decrease of 7.09% against $1.11 24 hours earlier. Over the past year, Cardano's price has seen a barnstorming increase of 84.04%.
How to buy Cardano in 4 steps
Compare crypto exchanges
The easiest way to buy Cardano is from a cryptocurrency exchange. Comparing in the table below lets you find one with the features you want such as low fees, ease of use or 24-hour customer support.
Create an account
To create an account on an exchange, you will need to verify your email address and identity. Have some photo ID and your phone ready.
Make a deposit
Once verified, you can deposit funds using the payment method that best suits you – cryptocurrency, bank and card payments are widely accepted.
Buy Cardano
You can now exchange your funds for Cardano. On easier-to-use exchanges, this is as simple as entering the amount you want to purchase and clicking "Buy". If you like, you can now withdraw your Cardano to your personal wallet.
The whole process can take as little as 15 minutes and all you'll need is a smartphone or computer, an internet connection, photo identification and a means of payment.
"Top picks" are those we've evaluated to be best for certain product features or categories – you can read our full methodology here. If we show a "Promoted Pick", it's been chosen from among our commercial partners based on factors that include special features or offers and the commission we receive.Keep in mind that these are suggestions and that the exchange that is best for you will depend on your individual needs. There are other products on the market not included in our picks.
Where to buy Cardano
Find an exchange to buy, sell and trade Cardano by comparing deposit methods, supported fiat currencies and fees. Select "Go to site" to sign up directly with the exchange.
To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Fees, features and asset-support across the most popular platforms are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the exchange – simple.
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These exchanges cover a wide range of cryptocurrencies, but we can’t guarantee they’ll all offer this coin.
Is it a good time to buy Cardano?
Only you can make the decision about when is the best time to buy Cardano. However, here are some things to consider as part of your research.
Take a look at the fundamentals of Cardano. What type of coin is it? Utility, payment or governance token etc? How large is its market cap? How many coins are in circulation? All this will help you to understand how Cardano works and how much risk is involved.
Also consider how has performed so far. Our charts below show you Cardano's performance over time as well as its all time high.
This price chart helps you to see how Cardano is performing against a fiat currency like USD. It shows the opening, high, low and closing prices for each period and is a visual representation of Cardano range within that period.
Cardano price chart
Cardano at a glance
Information last updated 18 December 2024, 12:12 UTC.
Coin symbol
ADA
Coin Marketcap
$36,860,825,999
Total ADA supply
45,000,000,000
Circulating ADA
35,823,042,953
Current price
$1.029000
All time high
$3.09
All time high date
2 September 2021
Notable team members
Charles Hoskinson
Partnerships
Dish, Chainlink, Near Protocol
Industry
Blockchain platform
Token uses
Utility token, rewards
Network
Cardano
Cardano price performance over time
For a more in-depth view, this chart shows you how Cardano has performed over time. You can see historical prices up to 1 year previously.
Historical prices compared with the price of $1.029 at 18 December 2024, 12:12 UTC.
1 hour
-1.92%
24 hours
-7.09%
7 days
0.57%
14 days
-16.09%
30 days
40.30%
60 days
193.81%
200 days
129.56%
1 year
84.04%
What is the current price of Cardano versus it's all time high?
Our chart to tracks how Cardano has performed in the last 24 hours and compares it with its all time high. You can see where the current price sits in comparison to the last 24 hours, as well as what today's price is vs its peak.
ADA price last updated 18 December 2024, 12:12 UTC.
$1.02 (24h low)
$1.11 (24h high)
$0
$3.09 (2 Sep 2021)
Recent Cardano developments
2 November, 2023: The price of ADA rose by 18% over October, pushing the coin back into the top 10 cryptos by market capitalisation. 3 October, 2023: There are now 144 projects live on Cardano, with a total of 1,287 projects building on the network 1 September, 2023: The price of ADA declined by 15% over the course of August, as usage of Cardano remains limited compared to competitors like Ethereum. June 16, 2023: Robinhood, eToro and Bakkt cease trading of Cardano in the US, following actions by the SEC which alleged ADA was a security.
Where could Cardano's price be heading?
Cardano is expected to finish 2022 worth $0.51, according to Finder's panel of fintech specialists. Looking further down the road, the panel thinks ADA will close out 2025 at $2.45 and 2030 at $5.37.
Our calculator works out how much Cardano would be worth in USD and GBP, depending on how much you hold or are looking to purchase.
ADA price last updated 18 December 2024, 12:12 UTC.
Frequently asked questions
ADA is the native cryptocurrency of the Cardano blockchain. The primary use of the coin lies within the network's proof-of-stake mechanism. This involves token holders locking away (staking) ADA coins to validate transactions and secure the blockchain.
A transaction fee must be paid in ADA when using the Cardano blockchain. This allows validators in the network to complete the transfer within Cardano's settlement layer (see below for more details). All applications that are built on the Cardano blockchain will use ADA for transactional fees.
The coin also carries monetary value and, therefore, can be used to transact between friends, pay for goods and services and deposit funds on an exchange or decentralised application.
The supply of tokens is capped at a maximum of 45 billion ADA. Cardano is being built with two layers – the Cardano Settlement Layer and the Cardano Computation Layer. The two layers provide the flexibility businesses need to tailor smart contracts to their requirements.Cardano Settlement Layer. The settlement layer acts as the platform's balance ledger. It uses a proof-of-stake (PoS) algorithm to generate new blocks and confirm transactions.Cardano Computation Layer. The execution layer for smart contracts. The Cardano team will soon be launching a new programming language (Plutus) that will be used to build smart contracts.
Instead of using a proof-of-work consensus algorithm like Bitcoin, Cardano uses a proof-of-stake algorithm called Ouroboros. Under this system, blocks are generated and transactions verified by slot leaders, or validators. Anyone who holds ADA tokens can become a slot leader, with slot leaders randomly chosen using a coin-flipping protocol.
*Cryptocurrencies aren't regulated in the UK and there's no protection from the Financial Ombudsman or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Your capital is at risk. Capital gains tax on profits may apply.
Cryptocurrencies are speculative and investing in them involves significant risks - they're highly volatile, vulnerable to hacking and sensitive to secondary activity. The value of investments can fall as well as rise and you may get back less than you invested. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This content shouldn't be interpreted as a recommendation to invest. Before you invest, you should get advice and decide whether the potential return outweighs the risks. Finder, or the author, may have holdings in the cryptocurrencies discussed.
James Edwards was the global cryptocurrency editor at Finder. He coordinates a distributed team of journalists to help further Finder's mission of helping people make better financial decisions.
He has been using Bitcoin since 2013 and began working in the industry in 2017. He takes pride in boiling down complex topics into language his parents can understand.
His expertise has seen him called on to report at events such as TechCrunch Disrupt, CoinDesk Consensus and IBM Think and has coordinated a vast number of high-profile interviews with the industry's brightest minds.
He is a regular contributor to Nasdaq, The Street and is frequently called upon for market commentary in Australia and abroad. See full bio
Frank Corva is business-to-business (B2B) correspondent for Bitcoin Magazine and formerly the cryptocurrency writer and analyst for digital assets at Finder. Frank has turned his hobby of studying and writing about crypto into a career with a mission of educating the world about this burgeoning sector of finance. He worked in Ghana and Venezuela before earning a degree in applied linguistics at Teachers College, Columbia University. He also taught writing and entertainment business courses in Japan and worked with UNICEF in Namibia before returning to the US to teach at universities in New York City. Earlier in his career, he spent years working as a publicist and graphic designer for record labels like Warner Music Group and Triple Crown Records. During that time, he was also a music journalist whose writing and photography was in published in Alternative Press, Spin and other outlets. See full bio
This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to buy Arbitrum, lists some exchanges where you can get it and provides daily price data on (ARB).
Learn how to buy Litecoin in the UK with our simple step-by-step guide and tips on what to know before you get started.
7 Responses
KevinAugust 22, 2018
I propose to purchase 20k thousand
Cardano using bitcoin or ripple in my kraken wallet is this possible and which platform should I choose to facilitate this
Regards Kevin
Finder
JoshuaAugust 23, 2018Finder
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Please note that Kraken isn’t a wallet, but an exchange platform. Currently, Kraken does not support Cardano (ADA) cryptocurrency. For this reason, you can’t use Kraken to purchase Cardano.
If you are looking for alternatives, then please check this page. Above, you will find a table that conveniently compares your options. You will see the different features of each exchange. Once you find something that interests you, please click on the “Go to site” green button to learn more.
In regards to how you should be able to buy Cardano, that will depend on the exchange that you choose. Thankfully, most exchanges are easy to use and you should be able to purchase Cardano with bitcoin or ripple by just following the instruction provided by your chosen exchange platform.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
KevinAugust 23, 2018
Thanks Josh my terminology didn’t help what I meant was having chosen my platform to purchase Cardano can I store it there but pay for it using part of one of my bitcoins in my Kraken account
LucyJuly 26, 2018
I live in the UK and can’t seem to find out how to buy ADA using GBP?
I’ve tried using international exchanges before (Upload) but I had my money returned with no reason being offered, which then went back to my bank who charged me for it returning so I lost £35 before I even started!
Finder
JoshuaAugust 5, 2018Finder
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Sorry to hear about your issue. What you can do is try Coinmama or Bittrex. Both of these exchanges allow you to use a credit or debit card.
Alternative, find an exchange or wallet that allows you to buy cryptocurrencies which you can then trade for other Cardano in the future.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
ConstancioApril 8, 2018
How do I buy Cardano ADA?
Finder
JeniApril 9, 2018Finder
Hi Constancio,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
These are the steps to buy Cardano (ADA).
– First you need to set up a wallet to store the Cardano (ADA) you’re about to buy.
– Create a Daedalus Wallet
– You’ll then purchase the popular cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum, so that we can exchange it for Cardano.
I hope this helps.
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Jeni
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I propose to purchase 20k thousand
Cardano using bitcoin or ripple in my kraken wallet is this possible and which platform should I choose to facilitate this
Regards Kevin
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Please note that Kraken isn’t a wallet, but an exchange platform. Currently, Kraken does not support Cardano (ADA) cryptocurrency. For this reason, you can’t use Kraken to purchase Cardano.
If you are looking for alternatives, then please check this page. Above, you will find a table that conveniently compares your options. You will see the different features of each exchange. Once you find something that interests you, please click on the “Go to site” green button to learn more.
In regards to how you should be able to buy Cardano, that will depend on the exchange that you choose. Thankfully, most exchanges are easy to use and you should be able to purchase Cardano with bitcoin or ripple by just following the instruction provided by your chosen exchange platform.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
Thanks Josh my terminology didn’t help what I meant was having chosen my platform to purchase Cardano can I store it there but pay for it using part of one of my bitcoins in my Kraken account
I live in the UK and can’t seem to find out how to buy ADA using GBP?
I’ve tried using international exchanges before (Upload) but I had my money returned with no reason being offered, which then went back to my bank who charged me for it returning so I lost £35 before I even started!
Hi Lucy,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Sorry to hear about your issue. What you can do is try Coinmama or Bittrex. Both of these exchanges allow you to use a credit or debit card.
Alternative, find an exchange or wallet that allows you to buy cryptocurrencies which you can then trade for other Cardano in the future.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
How do I buy Cardano ADA?
Hi Constancio,
Thank you for getting in touch with finder.
These are the steps to buy Cardano (ADA).
– First you need to set up a wallet to store the Cardano (ADA) you’re about to buy.
– Create a Daedalus Wallet
– You’ll then purchase the popular cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum, so that we can exchange it for Cardano.
I hope this helps.
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Jeni