Bitcoin (BTC)
Launched in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto
Designed primarily as digital money — a decentralized alternative to traditional currency
Fixed supply of 21 million coins, which is central to its "digital gold" narrative
Uses Proof of Work mining for security
Simple, deliberately limited scripting language — it's not built for complex apps
Ethereum (ETH)
Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and others
Designed as a programmable blockchain — a platform for building applications, not just a currency
No fixed supply cap (issuance has changed over time, especially after the 2022 shift away from mining)
Uses Proof of Stake for security since "The Merge" in 2022
Supports smart contracts, enabling DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and countless other applications
Launched in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto
Designed primarily as digital money — a decentralized alternative to traditional currency
Fixed supply of 21 million coins, which is central to its "digital gold" narrative
Uses Proof of Work mining for security
Simple, deliberately limited scripting language — it's not built for complex apps
Ethereum (ETH)
Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and others
Designed as a programmable blockchain — a platform for building applications, not just a currency
No fixed supply cap (issuance has changed over time, especially after the 2022 shift away from mining)
Uses Proof of Stake for security since "The Merge" in 2022
Supports smart contracts, enabling DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, and countless other applications