$ETH Ethereum (ETH) is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform renowned for its native cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH). Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily functions as digital money, Ethereum was designed as a programmable blockchain, enabling developers to build and deploy decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.

The platform's transition to a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism with "The Merge" significantly reduced its energy consumption and paved the way for future scalability upgrades (like sharding). ETH is used to pay for transaction fees ("gas") on the network, and it's also a major asset for trading and investment. Recent developments highlight institutional interest and ongoing upgrades to enhance its performance and expand its use cases across DeFi, NFTs, and Web3.