Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables the development of smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and a team of developers, Ethereum goes beyond traditional cryptocurrencies by offering a programmable environment where developers can build complex financial services, games, and more. Its native cryptocurrency, Ether (ETH), is used to pay for transactions and computational services on the network. Ethereum’s transition from a Proof-of-Work (PoW) to a Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism through "The Merge" in 2022 improved energy efficiency and scalability. As one of the most influential platforms in the crypto space, Ethereum has facilitated innovations like decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
