Ethereum is a decentralized platform that allows for the creation of decentralized applications and smart contracts. Its native digital currency is Ether (ETH), which is the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization after Bitcoin.

Ethereum uses blockchain technology to record transactions securely and transparently. Developers can build various applications on the Ethereum network, such as decentralized finance (DeFi) applications and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

In 2022, Ethereum upgraded its consensus mechanism to 'Proof of Stake', which reduced energy consumption and made the network more efficient.