Ethereum
beyond the coin
More than a cryptocurrency, Ethereum is a worldwide programmable computer. Discover smart contracts, the EVM, gas fees, and how ETH powers thousands of decentralized applications.
What is Ethereum?
Ethereum is a decentralized platform launched in 2015 that executes smart contracts: programs that run exactly as written, without downtime, censorship or third-party interference.
Its native token, Ether (ETH), pays for computation and network fees. Since 2022, Ethereum secures the network with proof of stake, cutting energy use by over 99%.
A global virtual machine (EVM) where developers deploy code that runs on thousands of nodes at once.
ETH fuels the network and is used for payments, staking and as collateral in DeFi.
ERC-20 (fungible tokens) and ERC-721 (NFTs) define how most of the crypto economy is issued.
How Ethereum works
Smart contracts, gas and the merge: the key concepts in a few steps.
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1
Smart contracts
Code deployed on-chain that executes automatically. Once deployed it cannot be changed — that is what makes it trustless.
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2
The EVM
Every node runs the same Ethereum Virtual Machine, guaranteeing identical results for every transaction.
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3
Gas fees
Each operation costs “gas”, paid in ETH. Higher demand = higher fees. Gas rewards validators for running the network.
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4
Proof of stake
Since “The Merge” (2022), validators lock 32 ETH as collateral to propose and validate blocks. Energy use fell ~99.95%.
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5
Accounts & wallets
EOAs (regular wallets) and contracts interact through signed transactions. Your private key controls your accounts.
Ethereum is also a chain of blocks
Same principle as Bitcoin: blocks linked by hashes. Mine one, then try to tamper and see the chain reject it.
Proof of stake vs proof of work
Ethereum switched to proof of stake. See how validators compare to miners on security, energy and speed.
PoW
PoS
DPoS
Fear & Greed index
The Fear & Greed index (0 = extreme fear, 100 = extreme greed) measures crypto investor sentiment. Current value:
Live market
Top cryptocurrencies and their 24h change. Data refreshed every 3 minutes (CoinGecko).
| # | Coin | Price | 24h |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Bitcoin
BTC
|
$64 327 | -1,20 % |
| 2 |
Ethereum
ETH
|
$1 892 | -1,70 % |
| 3 |
Tether
USDT
|
$1,00 | +0,00 % |
| 4 |
BNB
BNB
|
$607,47 | +0,50 % |
| 5 |
USDC
USDC
|
$1,00 | +0,00 % |
| 6 |
XRP
XRP
|
$1,01 | -2,50 % |
| 7 |
Solana
SOL
|
$76,16 | -0,90 % |
| 8 |
TRON
TRX
|
$0,34 | +1,70 % |
Convert 20+ cryptocurrencies to 30 world currencies with live prices.
Convert BTC amounts to 30 currencies instantly.
Generate SHA-256 hashes instantly — a must-have for developers.
Estimate mining profitability and energy cost.
Key Ethereum standards
Standards define how tokens behave. These three power most of the ecosystem.
ETH
- Native currency of the network
- Pays gas and gas tips
- Used for staking (32 ETH)
- Units: wei to ether
- The 2nd largest crypto
ERC-20
- Fungible token standard
- USDC, DAI, UNI, LINK…
- Interchangeable units
- Used in DeFi & exchanges
- Easy to integrate
ERC-721
- Non-fungible token (NFT)
- Each token is unique
- Art, collectibles, tickets
- Proves digital ownership
- Traded on marketplaces
What is Ethereum used for?
DeFi, NFTs, DAOs, gaming and enterprise — Ethereum is the most used blockchain in the world.
DeFi
Lending, DEXes and stablecoins worth tens of billions live on Ethereum smart contracts.
NFTs
The ERC-721 standard powers digital art, collectibles and community projects.
DAOs
Organizations governed by token holders voting on-chain, with transparent treasuries.
Staking & yield
Lock ETH as a validator (32 ETH) or via staking pools to earn rewards.
Enterprise
Consortium networks (Quorum, Besu) for banking, supply chain and identity.
Identity & reputation
Decentralized identity, credentials and on-chain reputation systems.
Advantages & Limitations
Advantages
- ✔Programmable: any application can be built on-chain.
- ✔Huge ecosystem: the largest developer community in crypto.
- ✔Secure decentralization with thousands of validators.
- ✔Industry-standard tokens (ERC-20/721) for interoperability.
- ✔Proof of stake: ~99.95% less energy than before.
Limitations
- ✕Gas fees spike during congestion.
- ✕Mainnet throughput is limited; rollups scale but add complexity.
- ✕Smart contracts are hard to change once deployed.
- ✕MEV and sandwich attacks affect some users.
- ✕Complexity: understanding gas, wallets and dapps is steep.
Quick glossary
The Ethereum terms you need to know.
Ethereum FAQ
What is the difference between ETH and Ethereum?
What are smart contracts?
How much energy does Ethereum use?
What are gas fees?
What is a Layer 2?
How do I stake ETH?
Is Ethereum decentralized?
Can smart contracts be hacked?
Prices and market data are for information only and do not constitute financial advice.
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