$ETH $ETH refers to Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization after Bitcoin. Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain system that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Unlike Bitcoin, which is primarily a digital currency, Ethereum was designed as a platform for developers to build and deploy blockchain-based applications. Its native token, Ether (ETH), is used to power transactions and computational services on the network. Ethereum is currently transitioning to a more energy-efficient proof-of-stake consensus mechanism through its upgrade known as Ethereum 2.0, which aims to improve scalability, security, and sustainability. ETH is widely used in DeFi (decentralized finance), NFTs (non-fungible tokens), and various other Web3 innovations.