$ETH $ETH, or Ethereum, is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap and the backbone of decentralized finance (DeFi), NFTs, and smart contracts. Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and others, Ethereum goes beyond being just digital money—it’s a decentralized computing platform powering thousands of applications. With the transition to Ethereum 2.0 and its move to proof-of-stake (via "The Merge"), ETH became more energy-efficient and deflationary in nature due to fee-burning (EIP-1559). It’s often seen as a tech investment compared to Bitcoin’s “digital gold” status. From DeFi protocols to gaming and DAOs, $ETH remains a core pillar of the crypto ecosystem.