Ethereum launched in 2015, trading under $1. Its price slowly rose as interest in smart contracts grew. In 2017, the ICO boom pushed ETH above $800, but it crashed below $100 in 2018 during a market correction. DeFi and NFTs revived momentum in 2020–2021, leading to an all-time high near $4,800. A bear market followed in 2022, but Ethereum transitioned to Proof of Stake. Layer 2 networks gained traction in 2023, and prices recovered. In 2024, ETF speculation and tech upgrades lifted ETH to around $3,600. As of early 2025, it trades between $3,000 and $4,000. Over a decade, Ethereum matured from an experimental project to a core layer of decentralized finance and blockchain innovation.
