$ETH Ethereum ($ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap and the backbone of decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and smart contracts. Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum enables developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) on its blockchain using its native programming language, Solidity. With the transition to Ethereum 2.0 and the Proof-of-Stake (PoS) model, ETH has become more energy-efficient and scalable. The ecosystem supports innovations like staking, Layer 2 scaling (e.g., Arbitrum, Optimism), and interoperability. ETH is widely traded, held as an asset, and used to pay gas fees on the network. As crypto adoption grows and DeFi expands, Ethereum’s utility and long-term potential remain strong, making it a key asset in any crypto portfolio.