Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain with smart contract functionality. ETH is the native cryptocurrency of the platform. Among cryptocurrencies, ether is second only to bitcoin in market capitalization.

It was conceived by Vitalik Buterin in 2013 and went live in 2015. Ethereum introduced the concept of smart contracts, self-executing code that enables decentralized applications (dApps) to run on its network without any downtime, fraud, or third-party interference.