$ETH Ethereum (ETH) is a leading blockchain platform launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin. Unlike Bitcoin, which is mainly used as digital currency, Ethereum enables smart contracts—self-executing programs that run on its blockchain. This innovation powers decentralized applications (dApps) across finance, gaming, NFTs, and more. ETH, Ethereum’s native token, is used for transactions and computational services on the network. With its 2022 upgrade to Ethereum 2.0, it shifted from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, improving energy efficiency and scalability. Ethereum remains a core pillar of the crypto ecosystem, driving innovation and adoption in decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 technologies.