$ETH Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform that establishes a peer-to-peer network that securely executes and verifies application code, known as smart contracts. Smart contracts allow participants to transact with each other without a trusted central authority. Transaction records are immutable, verifiable, and securely distributed across the network, providing participants with full ownership and visibility of transaction data. Transactions are sent and received from Ethereum accounts created by users. The sender must sign the transactions and spend ethers, the native cryptocurrency of Ethereum, as the cost of processing transactions on the network.

The applications of Ethereum, with wallets like MetaMask, Argent, Rainbow, and more, offer simple interfaces through which to interact with the Ethereum blockchain and the smart contracts deployed there. Ethereum's large user base encourages developers to deploy their applications on the network, further reinforcing Ethereum as the primary home for decentralized applications such as DeFi and NFT.