$ETH Ethereum, launched in July 2015, is a leading blockchain platform enabling smart contracts, DeFi, NFTs, and tokenized applications WikipediaForbes. Since its transition to proof-of-stake (PoS) in September 2022 (“The Merge”), the network’s energy use dropped by over 99%, and it adopted deflationary dynamics driven by staking and transaction burns WikipediaStealthEX.

In mid-2025, Ethereum rolled out its Pectra upgrade (Prague‑Electra fork), introducing smart-contract functionality directly into wallets, larger staking capacity per validator, improved Layer‑2 scalability with Proto‑Danksharding, and gas-cost reductions for institutional use AInvestWikipedia.

Regulatory clarity improved sharply with the GENIUS Act, which legitimized Ethereum’s settlement infrastructure and supported stablecoin regulation—leading to record inflows via spot Ethereum ETFs, now rivaling Bitcoin’s ETF ecosystem AInvestinvestopedia.com.

Institutional participation is accelerating: asset managers like BlackRock, Fidelity, and tech firms (e.g. BitMine, SharpLink) are adopting ETH treasury and staking strategies, sometimes boosting stock prices when pivoting to Ethereum holdings nypost.combusinessinsider.comreddit.com. One firm, The Ether Machine, is preparing a Q4‑2025 Nasdaq debut managing over 400,000 ETH (~$1.6 B) on its balance sheet reuters.com.

Ethereum’s price surged over 40% in July alone to around $3,800, supported by record ETF inflows, rising DeFi activity, and stablecoin dominance (Ethereum hosts nearly half of all stablecoins) marketwatch.combestcryptochecker.cominvestopedia.com.

In summary, Ethereum now stands as a productive, institutional-grade blockchain asset, combining technical scalability, regulatory legitimacy, and growing adoption by traditional finance.