$ETH $ETH refers to Ethereum (ETH), the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum blockchain. Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain that supports smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and other developers, Ethereum revolutionized the blockchain space by enabling programmable transactions beyond simple peer-to-peer transfers.

ETH is widely used for various purposes, including paying gas fees for transactions on the Ethereum network, staking in Ethereum 2.0, and participating in decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and metaverse projects. With Ethereum's transition to Ethereum 2.0 (The Merge), it shifted from a proof-of-work (PoW) to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, reducing energy consumption and increasing scalability.

As one of the most valuable cryptocurrencies, ETH plays a crucial role in the Web3 ecosystem, serving as a foundation for many blockchain-based applications and innovations.