$ETH

Ethereum (ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and a foundational platform for decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and others, Ethereum revolutionized blockchain technology by enabling programmable transactions and autonomous applications without intermediaries. ETH is the native currency, used to pay transaction fees and power operations on the network. With the transition to Ethereum 2.0 and a proof-of-stake consensus, the network now offers greater energy efficiency and scalability. Ethereum supports a wide range of innovations, including DeFi, NFTs, and DAOs, making it a critical infrastructure for the Web3 ecosystem and digital finance.