$ETH

🪙 Ethereum (ETH): In-Depth Overview

🔹 What is Ethereum?

Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables the development and execution of smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). It is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, after Bitcoin.

Ticker Symbol: ETH

Launched: July 30, 2015

Founder: Vitalik Buterin (along with Gavin Wood, Joseph Lubin, and others)

Native Coin: Ether (ETH)

🔧 How Ethereum Works

Ethereum goes beyond just being a digital currency. It was the first blockchain to introduce programmability — allowing developers to build and deploy their own applications on-chain.

🔸 Core Components:

Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM):

The runtime environment where smart contracts are executed. Think of it as a global, decentralized computer.

Smart Contracts:

Self-executing code that automatically performs actions when predefined conditions are met. No intermediaries needed.

dApps (Decentralized Apps):

Applications built on Ethereum that run using smart contracts, such as Uniswap, Aave, and OpenSea.

Consensus Mechanism:

Originally: Proof of Work (PoW)

Now: Proof of Stake (PoS) (after the Merge in September 2022

🏗️ Ethereum Upgrades (Roadmap)

Ethereum is undergoing a long-term transition to improve scalability, security, and sustainability.

🔻 Key Milestones:

Ethereum 1.0 – Original PoW chain.

The Merge (2022) – Transition from PoW to PoS.

The Surge – Focus on scalability via sharding.

The Verge – Implementation of Verkle trees to optimize storage.

The Purge – Reducing historical data to simplify the protocol.

The Splurge – Final improvements and refinements.

These updates are collectively referred to as Ethereum 2.0 or “Eth2.”

📊 Ethereum by the Numbers (as of early 2025)

Market Cap: ~$400–500 billion (fluctuates)

Total ETH Supply: ~120 million ETH

Transaction Speed: ~15 TPS (base layer); up to 1000s TPS with Layer-2s

Gas Fees: Varies — lower on L2s like Arbitrum or Optimism

Staking Yield: ~4–6% APY on staked ETH