$ETH

Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps) without central authority. Proposed by Vitalik Buterin in 2013 and launched in 2015, it introduced the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to execute programmable contracts securely. Its native cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH), is used for transactions and gas fees. Ethereum transitioned from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) with Ethereum 2.0, enhancing scalability and energy efficiency. It powers innovations like decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and Web3 applications, making it a leading blockchain for developers, businesses, and users worldwide.