What is Ethereum (ETH)?
Ethereum is an open-source, decentralized blockchain platform featuring its native cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH). It serves as a foundation for numerous other cryptocurrencies and enables the execution of decentralized smart contracts.
Originally proposed in a 2013 whitepaper by Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum's development team secured funding through a public crowdsale in summer 2014, raising $18.3 million in Bitcoin. The initial coin offering (ICO) price was $0.311 per ETH, with over 60 million Ether sold. At current prices, this represents an annualized ROI exceeding 270%, effectively quadrupling investments annually since 2014.
The Ethereum Foundation officially launched the blockchain on July 30, 2015, under the "Frontier" prototype. Since then, several network upgrades have occurred, including:
- Constantinople (February 28, 2019)
- Istanbul (December 8, 2019)
- Muir Glacier (January 2, 2020)
- Berlin (April 14, 2021)
- London hard fork (August 5, 2021)
👉 Discover how Ethereum's technology powers decentralized finance
Ethereum's primary mission is to become a global platform for decentralized applications (dApps), enabling users worldwide to create and run censorship-resistant software without downtime or fraud.
Who Are Ethereum's Founders?
What Makes Ethereum Unique?
Understanding EIP-1559
Ethereum (ETH) Circulating Supply
How Is the Ethereum Network Secured?
Where to Buy Ethereum (ETH)?
Ethereum London Hard Fork Explained
The Evolution to Ethereum 2.0
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Ethereum and Bitcoin?
While both are cryptocurrencies, Ethereum focuses on smart contracts and dApp development, whereas Bitcoin primarily serves as digital gold and a store of value.
How does Ethereum 2.0 improve scalability?
Ethereum 2.0 transitions from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake consensus, significantly increasing transaction capacity through sharding and other optimizations.
Can I stake my ETH?
Yes, with Ethereum's transition to proof-of-stake, users can stake ETH to earn rewards while helping secure the network.
👉 Learn about advanced Ethereum trading strategies
What are gas fees?
Gas fees represent the computational costs required to execute transactions or smart contracts on the Ethereum network.
Is Ethereum environmentally friendly?
With Ethereum 2.0's proof-of-stake mechanism, energy consumption is dramatically reduced compared to the original proof-of-work system.