What is Ethereum?

Ethereum (ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency after Bitcoin, launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and others. While Bitcoin is mostly used as digital money, Ethereum is designed to do much more.

Key Features of Ethereum:

1. Smart Contracts:

Self-executing programs that run automatically when certain conditions are met.

Example: You could write a contract that automatically sends someone money when a task is completed.

2. Decentralized Applications (dApps):

Ethereum allows developers to build apps that run without central servers.

These apps can be anything—finance (DeFi), games, NFT marketplaces, etc.

3. Ether (ETH):

The native currency used to pay for transactions and run programs on the Ethereum network.

4. Ethereum 2.0 / Proof of Stake:

Ethereum recently upgraded to Proof of Stake (PoS), which is more energy-efficient than Bitcoin’s mining system.

Instead of mining, users "stake" ETH to help validate transactions and earn rewards.

Why is Ethereum Important?

It’s like a global computer that anyone can use to build secure, open apps.

It powers the majority of NFTs, DeFi platforms, and Web3 tools.

Fun Fact:

There are thousands of tokens (like USDT, UNI, SHIB) built on top of Ethereum—it’s like the App Store of the crypto world!