$ETH

Ether (ETH) is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization after Bitcoin. Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily aims to be digital money, Ethereum is a decentralized platform that enables the creation and execution of "smart contracts" and decentralized applications (dApps).

Think of Ethereum as a "world computer" that runs programs without downtime, censorship, or third-party interference. Developers use ETH to pay "gas fees," which compensate network participants (validators) for processing transactions and securing the blockchain. This makes ETH essential for interacting with the vast Ethereum ecosystem, which includes DeFi (Decentralized Finance), NFTs, and various other blockchain-based innovations. Ethereum transitioned from a Proof-of-Work to a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism in 2022, making it significantly more energy-efficient.