$ETH Ethereum ($ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin. Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum is a decentralized platform designed to run smart contracts—self-executing code without intermediaries. It powers decentralized applications (dApps) across finance, gaming, NFTs, and more. Ethereum transitioned to Proof of Stake in 2022 with "The Merge," making it more energy-efficient. $ETH is used to pay transaction fees and as a store of value. It’s also central to DeFi ecosystems and Layer 2 scaling solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism. Ethereum continues to evolve, aiming for faster speeds, lower fees, and global decentralized utility.