The Ethereum currency was launched in 2015 by programmer Vitalik Buterin, with the aim of surpassing Bitcoin's capabilities by providing a smart platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications. It relied on blockchain technology but added advanced programming capabilities. In 2017, it saw a significant rise with the boom of Initial Coin Offering (ICO) projects. It faced scalability challenges, which led to the development of "Ethereum 2.0" and the transition of the mining mechanism from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS) in 2022. Today, Ethereum is the second-largest digital currency and plays a pivotal role in the world of decentralized finance and Web3 applications.
