#EthereumSecurityInitiative Here's some key data about Ethereum (ETH) ¹:

- *Founders*: Vitalik Buterin, Gavin Wood, Charles Hoskinson, Anthony Di Iorio, and Joseph Lubin

- *Launch Date*: July 30, 2015

- *Native Cryptocurrency*: Ether (ETH), second-largest by market capitalization

- *Key Features*:

- *Smart Contract Functionality*: Allows for decentralized applications and financial instruments

- *Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)*: ERC-721 standard for unique digital assets

- *Decentralized Finance (DeFi)*: Enables borrowing, lending, and other financial services

- *Consensus Mechanism*: Proof-of-Stake (PoS), transitioned from Proof-of-Work (PoW) in "The Merge" (September 2022)

- *Energy Usage Reduction*: Over 99% after transitioning to PoS

- *Current Developments*: Upcoming "Pectra" upgrade expected to launch in mid-2025, featuring increased staking amounts and improved smart contract functionality.