$ETH Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables developers to create and deploy smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). It was introduced in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and is currently the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.

*Key Features:*

- *Decentralized Applications*: Ethereum supports the creation of dApps, which can range from financial services to gaming and supply chain management.

- *Smart Contracts*: Ethereum's smart contracts are self-executing programs that automate various processes, eliminating the need for intermediaries.

- *Proof-of-Stake Consensus*: Ethereum operates on a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, which is more energy-efficient than traditional proof-of-work (PoW) systems.

- *ERC-20 Tokens*: Ethereum's ERC-20 tokens are widely used for governance, trading fees, or as stores of value, with examples including USDT and USDC.

*Benefits:*

- *Security*: Ethereum's decentralized nature and cryptographic protections ensure secure transactions.

- *Scalability*: Ethereum's Layer 2 solutions, such as Arbitrum and Polygon, offer faster and cheaper transactions.

- *Innovation*: Ethereum's platform enables developers to build innovative applications and tokens.

*Current Price:*

The current price of Ethereum is $1,587.63, with a 24-hour trading volume of $519,681,114. The price has increased by 5.00% in the last 24 hours.¹