$ETH

# Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum functions as the world's largest programmable blockchain platform, enabling smart contracts and decentralized applications beyond simple peer-to-peer transactions. Created by Vitalik Buterin in 2015, ETH serves as both the network's native currency and fuel for computational operations called "gas." The 2022 Merge transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake dramatically reduced energy consumption by 99% while introducing staking rewards for validators. Ethereum's ecosystem hosts the majority of DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Layer-2 scaling solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism address network congestion while maintaining Ethereum's security guarantees. Recent upgrades including EIP-1559 introduced fee burning mechanisms, making ETH potentially deflationary during high network activity. With over 400,000 validators securing the network and continuous development toward greater scalability, Ethereum maintains its position as the foundation for Web3 innovation and decentralized finance infrastructure.