Ethereum

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform that enables the creation and execution of smart contracts and decentralized applications. It has its own native cryptocurrency, ether, which is the second-largest cryptocurrency in market capitalization. Ethereum was conceived in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin and other founders, including Gavin Wood, Charles Hoskinson, Anthony Di Iorio, and Joseph Lubin, and the network went live in 2015. The platform allows users to deploy permanent and immutable decentralized applications, create and exchange non-fungible tokens, and utilize the ERC-20 token standard for other cryptocurrencies. In 2022, Ethereum transitioned its consensus mechanism from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, cutting its energy usage by 99%.learn more on wikipedia