#ETHBreaks2k - **Blockchain**: Ethereum is an **open-source** blockchain platform focused on **smart contracts** and **decentralized applications (dApps)**.

- **Native currency**: **ETH** (Ether) is the native token of the Ethereum network, used to pay transaction fees (gas fee), stake, or trade.

- **Founded by**: Vitalik Buterin and the development team (launched in 2015).

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**Notable technical features**

- **Smart Contract**: Allows the creation of automated applications (DeFi, NFT, GameFi) without intermediaries.

- **Consensus mechanism**: Transitioned from **Proof-of-Work (PoW)** to **Proof-of-Stake (PoS)** after the **The Merge** upgrade (2022).

- **EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine)**: A virtual machine that processes smart contracts, compatible with many other blockchains (Polygon, BNB Chain...).

- **Gas Fee**: Transaction fees fluctuate depending on network congestion (significantly reduced thanks to Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum, Optimism).

**Uses of ETH**

1. **Payments**: Used as currency in the Ethereum ecosystem (buying NFTs, paying DeFi fees).

2. **Investment**: Buying/selling ETH as a digital asset.

3. **Staking**: Locking ETH to earn rewards and support the PoS network.

4. **Collateral**: Using ETH as collateral to borrow stablecoins on Aave, MakerDAO.

5. **Governance**: Some DAOs use ETH as voting power.

**Advantages**

- **Largest ecosystem**: Thousands of dApps, from DeFi (Uniswap) to Metaverse (Decentraland).

- **Decentralization**: Not controlled by any organization.

- **High liquidity**: ETH is listed on all major exchanges (Binance, Coinbase...).

- **Clear roadmap**: Ethereum continuously improves to increase speed and reduce fees.