What is Ethereum?
Ethereum is an open-source blockchain network with smart contract functionality. Ether (ETH), the native cryptocurrency of the platform, is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. Proposed and co-founded by Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum allows developers to build and operate decentralized applications, most notably in the financial space in the form of “DeFi” applications.
Ethereum currently has a yearly cap of 18 million ETH. A transition to Ethereum 2.0, featuring proof of stake protocols and increased transaction throughput, is underway.