**Ethereum (ETH) in Brief**
🔹 **What is ETH?**
It is the second most popular cryptocurrency after Bitcoin, but it is not just a currency! 🚀
Launched in **2015** by **Vitalik Buterin**, it uses **blockchain** technology to create **smart contracts** and decentralized applications (DApps).
🔹 **What is the difference between it and Bitcoin?**
- Bitcoin: **Digital Money** (like electronic gold).
- Ethereum: **Smart Platform** that allows building applications and self-executing contracts.
🔹 **Features of Ethereum:**
✅ **Smart Contracts** ⚡️ (automated agreements without intermediaries).
✅ **Decentralized Applications** (like decentralized finance DeFi, and NFTs).
✅ Faster transactions than Bitcoin (but not the fastest currently).
🔹 **Uses of ETH:**
✔️ Paying transaction fees and applications on the Ethereum network.
✔️ Investment (buying and selling like any cryptocurrency).
✔️ Software development (building blockchain applications).
🔹 **Issues with ETH:**
⚠️ **High Gas Fees** sometimes during congestion.
⚠️ Intense competition from newer networks like **Solana and Cardano**.
⚠️ Still relies on **Proof of Work (PoW)**, but is transitioning to **Proof of Stake (PoS)** to be more sustainable.
💡 **In Summary:**
Ethereum is not just a currency, but a **revolutionary platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications**! 🌐
If you are interested in **technology or investment**, it is a great option but with some challenges. 🚀
