Ethereum

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and a group of developers. Unlike Bitcoin, which mainly focuses on being digital money, Ethereum was created to run smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps).

▪︎ Smart Contracts – Self-executing programs that run automatically when conditions are met.

▪︎ ETH Token – The native cryptocurrency of Ethereum is called Ether (ETH). It is used to pay transaction fees (gas fees).

▪︎ DeFi & NFTs – Most decentralized finance (DeFi) projects and NFTs are built on Ethereum.

▪︎ Upgraded to Proof of Stake – In 2022, Ethereum moved from mining to staking to reduce energy usage.

Ethereum is like a global decentralized computer. Developers can build exchanges, games, lending platforms, and many Web3 projects on top of it.

Many people call Bitcoin “digital gold,” and Ethereum “digital oil” because ETH is used to power the entire ecosystem.

In simple words:

Ethereum is not just a coin — it’s a platform that allows anyone to build decentralized apps without relying on banks or big tech companies.