Ethereum
The leading smart contract platform. Ethereum enables decentralized applications and revolutionizes the internet.
What is Ethereum?
Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain with smart contract functionality. It was launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and his team and is the foundation for DeFi, NFTs, and Web3.
Birth Year
2015
Consensus
Proof of Stake
Block Time
~12 Seconds
Native Token
ETH
Smart Contracts
Smart contracts are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code. They enable trustless and automated transactions.
Advantages
- ✓Automation
- ✓Transparency
- ✓Immutability
- ✓Cost efficiency
Use Cases
- • DeFi Protocols
- • NFT Marketplaces
- • DAOs
- • Decentralized Exchanges
The Ethereum Ecosystem
DeFi
Decentralized financial services without intermediaries. Lending, trading, yield farming and more.
NFTs
Non-Fungible Tokens for digital art, collectibles, gaming items and more.
DAOs
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations for collective decision-making.
dApps
Decentralized applications running on the Ethereum blockchain.
Layer 2
Scaling solutions like Arbitrum, Optimism and Polygon for faster and cheaper transactions.
Staking
Earn rewards by staking ETH and securing the network.
Ethereum 2.0 - The Merge
In September 2022, Ethereum successfully transitioned from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake. This was one of the largest technical upgrades in blockchain history.
Benefits
- • 99.95% less energy consumption
- • Increased security
- • Deflationary ETH
- • Foundation for scaling
Future
- • Sharding
- • Further scaling
- • Lower fees
- • Better UX
ETH as Investment
Ethereum offers various opportunities for investors:
Hold ETH
Benefit from the appreciation of the native token of the Ethereum network.
Staking
Earn ~4-5% APY by staking ETH and supporting the network.
DeFi Yield
Use DeFi protocols for additional returns through lending and liquidity providing.
Discover the World of Ethereum
Learn how to make the most of Ethereum and DeFi opportunities.