Cardano’s smart contract progress, notably since the Alonzo upgrade in 2021, has enabled dApps and DeFi, boosting ADA’s utility. However, adoption lags behind Ethereum (ETH), with Cardano’s dApp ecosystem smaller and less active. ADA’s value spiked post-upgrade but has since underperformed, dropping 50% against ETH by late 2021, per X sentiment. ETH’s established network, higher TPS (post-2.0), and vast developer base maintain its edge. Cardano’s research-driven approach and scalability (e.g., Hydra) offer long-term potential, but competition from ETH’s dominance and alternatives like Solana limit ADA’s short-term value growth.