$ETH
Ethereum (ETH) is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, after Bitcoin. It was created in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and has since become one of the most widely-used and respected cryptocurrencies in the world.
Here are some key features and facts about Ethereum:
- Ethereum is not just a digital currency, but also a decentralized platform for building applications.
- It uses a decentralized virtual machine (EVM) to execute smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement written directly into code.
- Ethereum's native cryptocurrency is called Ether (ETH), which is used to pay for transaction fees and computational services on the network.
- Ethereum has a large and active developer community, with many developers building applications and tools on top of the platform.
- In 2022, Ethereum transitioned from a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus algorithm to a proof-of-stake (PoS) algorithm, which has improved the network's energy efficiency and reduced its environmental impact.
Overall, Ethereum is an important and influential cryptocurrency that has played a significant role in the development of the broader cryptocurrency and blockchain ecosystem.