$ETH

# Ethereum (ETH) - Smart Contract Platform

Ethereum revolutionized blockchain technology by introducing programmable smart contracts, enabling complex decentralized applications beyond simple cryptocurrency transfers. The platform's virtual machine executes code across thousands of nodes, creating unstoppable applications immune to censorship or downtime. Ethereum's transition to proof-of-stake through "The Merge" eliminated energy-intensive mining while introducing validator rewards and ETH staking mechanisms. The network hosts the vast majority of decentralized finance protocols, facilitating billions in lending, trading, and yield generation without traditional intermediaries. Layer-2 scaling solutions address transaction costs and speed limitations while preserving Ethereum's security guarantees. EIP-1559's fee burning mechanism makes ETH potentially deflationary during high network usage periods. With continuous development toward sharding and improved scalability, Ethereum maintains its position as the foundational infrastructure for Web3, NFTs, and decentralized autonomous organizations.