$ETH

Ethereum (ETH) is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables the creation of smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and other developers, Ethereum introduced a revolutionary shift from Bitcoin's limited scripting capabilities by allowing programmable contracts on its blockchain. ETH, the native cryptocurrency of Ethereum, is used to pay for transaction fees and computational services on the network.

Ethereum is widely regarded as the foundation of the decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible token (NFT) ecosystems. It transitioned from a proof-of-work (PoW) to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism through "The Merge" in 2022, significantly reducing its energy consumption and increasing scalability potential.

ETH is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, after Bitcoin. Its active developer community, continuous upgrades (like Ethereum 2.0), and widespread adoption make it a cornerstone of the blockchain world. Ethereum’s flexibility and innovation continue to shape the future of Web3 and decentralized technologies.