$ETH Ethereum (ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, with a current price of around $2,050.
*Key Features:*
1. *Smart Contracts*: Ethereum's decentralized platform enables the creation and execution of smart contracts.
2. *Decentralized Applications (dApps)*: Ethereum supports the development of dApps, which are built on top of the Ethereum blockchain.
3. *Gas*: Ethereum's native cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH), is used to pay for transaction fees, known as gas.
4. *Proof-of-Work (PoW)*: Ethereum currently uses a PoW consensus algorithm, but plans to transition to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) with the upcoming Ethereum 2.0 upgrade.
*Ethereum 2.0 Upgrade:*
1. *Improved Scalability*: Ethereum 2.0 aims to increase the network's scalability and transaction capacity.
2. *Enhanced Security*: The upgrade will introduce a new consensus algorithm, PoS, which is more energy-efficient and secure.
3. *Sustainability*: Ethereum 2.0 is designed to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.