- Cardano gears up to compete with Ethereum, replacing Tether as the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.
- Cardano differentiates itself from Ethereum by using an extended unspent transaction output model to predict transaction fees.
- Traders are bullish on Cardano, as the blockchain network can execute hundreds of simple transactions and complex scripts with Alonzo Hard Fork execution.
Smart contracts are set to go live on the Cardano mainnet within the next few hours. Analysts have a bullish outlook on the altcoin, predict a rally to a new all-time high.
Cardano ranks third in market capitalization, competes with Ether for dominance
Cardano has claimed its spot as the third-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, second to Ethereum. ADA market cap is less than three times away from ETH, and trader sentiment is getting increasingly bullish as smart contracts go live on Cardano mainnet.
Based on data from Santiment, a crypto intelligence platform, Cardano recovered 12.5% since the flash crash of September 7. Cardano traders are likely to get over-hyped closer to launch and crowd euphoria is considered bullish for the altcoin's price in the short-term.
Crowd Euphoria in Cardano
The altcoin follows a model similar to Bitcoin, utilizing extended unspent transaction output (eUTXO). Using eUTXO Cardano offers enhanced security and predictability of transaction fees, thus approaching parallelization differently than Ethereum.
Cardano’s Alonzo Upgrade inherited Bitcoin’s UTXO model, and it uses multiple UTXOs to decentralized power applications and enforces parallelization. This results in higher scalability for smart contract applications launched on the Cardano network.
The Cardano development team expects dozens of projects that deployed smart contracts on the testnet to ramp up activity on the mainnet in the following months.
Michaël van de Poppe, cryptocurrency analyst and founder of Eight Global, has predicted that the altcoin will likely hit $5. He expects a massive bounce in the altcoin’s price.
Massive bounce on #Cardano.
— Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) September 11, 2021
Might be ready for $5. pic.twitter.com/czTMIIOjHW
FXStreet analysts have observed a bullish fractal that could trigger a 16% upswing in ADA price.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended Content
Editors’ Picks

Crypto market wipes out $1 billion in liquidation as Asian markets bleed red
The crypto markets continue to decline on Monday, with Bitcoin (BTC) falling below $78,000. The Asian markets also traded in the red, with Japan’s stock market extending losses to 8.5%, its lowest level since October 2023.

XRP Price Prediction: XRP hangs on a loose thread, deeper correction below $2 impending?
Ripple (XRP) is extending losses below the previous week’s critical level at $2.00, as United States (US) President Donald Trump doubled down on tariffs, stressing that America must solve the trade deficit before making a deal.

Top 3 Price Prediction Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple: BTC and XRP head to yearly lows while ETH hits two-year bottom
Bitcoin (BTC) price hovers around $78,600 on Monday after falling nearly 5% the previous week. Ethereum (ETH) and Ripple (XRP) also followed in BTC’s footsteps and declined 13% and 10%, respectively, in the previous week.

Bitcoin could be the winner in the ongoing trade war after showing signs of decoupling from stocks
Bitcoin (BTC) traded above $84,000 on Friday, showing strength despite the stock market experiencing significant declines. The market reaction stems from United States (US) President Donald Trump's clash with the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell over interest rate decisions.

Bitcoin Weekly Forecast: Tariff ‘Liberation Day’ sparks liquidation in crypto market
Bitcoin (BTC) price remains under selling pressure and trades near $84,000 when writing on Friday after a rejection from a key resistance level earlier this week.

The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD
SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.