$ETH Ethereum (ETH) is a decentralized open-source blockchain system featuring its own cryptocurrency, Ether. Here's a quick rundown¹:

*Current Price:* $1,781.57, with a 2.03% increase in the last 24 hours

*Market Cap:* $215.06 billion, ranking #2 among cryptocurrencies

*Key Features:*

- *Decentralized Applications:* Ethereum powers dApps through smart contracts, making it a global platform for decentralized software.

- *Smart Contracts:* Self-executing contracts with terms written directly into code, enabling secure and transparent transactions.

- *Ether (ETH):* The native cryptocurrency used for transaction fees, staking, and trading.

*Tokenomics:*

- *Circulating Supply:* 120.71 million ETH

- *Max Supply:* Unlimited, with ETH's issuance rate adjustable via consensus

- *Burn Mechanism:* EIP-1559 introduces a base fee that's burned, potentially making Ethereum deflationary

*What's Next for Ethereum?*

- *Sharding:* The final stage of Ethereum 2.0, which will split the database into 64 shard chains, improving scalability and reducing gas fees.

- *Staking:* Validators earn ETH rewards for securing the network, with an expected APR of 8-12%.²