Ethereum

Ethereum
Logo
Original author(s)	Vitalik Buterin Gavin Wood
Initial release	30 July 2015; 10 years ago
Stable release	1.12.2 / 13 August 2023; 2 years ago
Development status	Active
Software used	EVM 1 Bytecode
Written in	Go, Rust, C#, C++, Java, Python, Nim, TypeScript
Operating system	Cross-Platform
Platform	x86-64, ARM
Available in	Multilingual, primarily English
Type	Distributed computing
License	Open-Source License
Active hosts	~8,600 nodes (6 June 2023)
Website	ethereum.org

Ethereum (abbreviation: ETH; symbol: Ξ) is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dapps). Its native cryptocurrency is Ether (ETH), a digital currency and utility token used for transactions, smart contracts, and applications.

Among cryptocurrencies, ether is second only to Bitcoin in market capitalization; it has been outranked only by Bitcoin since its launch. Smart contracts are self-executing agreements with code that automatically enforces rules without downtime, censorship, fraud, or third-party interference.

Ethereum was conceived in 2013 by programmer Vitalik Buterin. In 2014, he presented the vision at the North American Bitcoin Conference, and an ETH ICO raised $18 million. He, along with other cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, developed the platform to enable versatile smart contracts and decentralized applications, officially launching Ethereum in 2015.

Other co-founders include Mihai Alisie, Charles Hoskinson, Anthony Di Iorio, Amir Chetrit, Gavin Wood, Joseph Lubin, and Jeffrey Wilcke.

Ethereum allows anyone to deploy decentralized applications, which anyone can then use. Decentralized finance (DeFi) on Ethereum offers open, global financial services without intermediaries, enabling lending, borrowing, token trading, and stablecoin use. Ethereum supports smart contracts, fungible tokens (ERC-20), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), allowing programmable, automated financial interactions according to immutable code.