$ETH

Ethereum (ETH) is a decentralized, open-source blockchain system that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps) to be built and run without any downtime, fraud, or interference from third parties. It was proposed in 2013 by programmer Vitalik Buterin and development began in early 2014, with the network officially launching on July 30, 2015.

Unlike Bitcoin, which is primarily a digital currency, Ethereum functions as a platform for decentralized computing. It uses Ether (ETH) as its native cryptocurrency to power operations and incentivize participants on the network. Developers write smart contracts using Ethereum’s programming language, Solidity. These contracts execute automatically when certain conditions are met, without the need for intermediaries.

Ethereum transitioned from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism to proof-of-stake (PoS) in September 2022 through an upgrade known as "The Merge." This shift significantly reduced Ethereum's energy consumption and improved scalability.

Ethereum is at the heart of decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and many other Web3 innovations, making it one of the most important and influential blockchain platforms in the world.