Ethereum ($ETH ETH): The Decentralized Blockchain Platform

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain network designed to support smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps). Proposed in late 2013 by Russian-Canadian programmer and cryptocurrency researcher Vitalik Buterin, development of the platform began in early 2014, with its official launch on July 30, 2015.

Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily serves as a digital currency, Ethereum provides a platform for developers to create and deploy self-executing contracts and DApps without relying on centralized control. Its native cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH), is used to pay transaction fees and for computational services on the network.

Ethereum has undergone significant advancements, most notably the transition to Ethereum 2.0 (known as The Merge) in September 2022. This upgrade shifted Ethereum’s consensus mechanism from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS), enhancing scalability and energy efficiency. These developments have further cemented Ethereum's position as a foundational pillar of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.