Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables the creation of smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Founded by Vitalik Buterin in 2015, Ethereum introduced programmable blockchain technology, allowing developers to build applications that run exactly as programmed without downtime, censorship, or third-party interference.

ETH is the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network, used to pay for transaction fees (gas) and computational services. Following "The Merge" in September 2022, Ethereum transitioned from Proof-of-Work to Proof-of-Stake consensus, significantly reducing energy consumption by ~99.95%.

As the leading smart contract platform, Ethereum hosts the majority of DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, and Layer 2 scaling solutions, making it the backbone of Web3 infrastructure.