What is Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum (ETH) Basic Introduction

Ethereum (ETH) Profile

What is Ethereum (ETH) Trading

Ethereum (ETH) trading refers to buying and selling the token in the cryptocurrency market. On MEXC, users can trade ETH through different markets depending on your investment goals and risk preferences. The two most common methods are spot trading and futures trading.

Ethereum (ETH) Spot Trading

Crypto spot trading is directly buying or selling ETH at the current market price. Once the trade is completed, you own the actual ETH tokens, which can be held, transferred, or sold later. Spot trading is the most straightforward way to get exposure to ETH without leverage.

How to Acquire Ethereum (ETH)

You can easily obtain Ethereum (ETH) on MEXC using a variety of payment methods such as credit card, debit card, bank transfer, Paypal, and many more! Learn how to buy tokens at MEXC now!

Deeper Insights into Ethereum (ETH)

Ethereum (ETH) History and Background

Ethereum History and Background

Ethereum was conceived in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin, a young programmer and cryptocurrency enthusiast who was deeply involved in the Bitcoin community. Buterin recognized the limitations of Bitcoin's scripting language and envisioned a more flexible blockchain platform that could support complex applications beyond simple transactions.

Foundation and Development

In late 2013, Buterin published the Ethereum whitepaper, proposing a blockchain with a built-in Turing-complete programming language. This would allow developers to create smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). The project gained support from other notable figures including Gavin Wood, who authored the Ethereum Yellow Paper detailing the technical specifications.

The Ethereum Foundation was established in 2014 to oversee development. A crowdfunding campaign in July-August 2014 raised over 31,000 Bitcoin (approximately $18 million at the time), making it one of the largest cryptocurrency crowdfunds in history.

Launch and Early Years

Ethereum's mainnet launched on July 30, 2015, with the "Frontier" release. This marked the beginning of the world's first programmable blockchain. The platform introduced the concept of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which executes smart contracts in a decentralized manner.

The DAO Incident

In 2016, Ethereum faced its first major crisis with The DAO hack. A vulnerability in a decentralized autonomous organization built on Ethereum led to the theft of approximately $60 million worth of Ether. This resulted in a controversial hard fork that split the community, creating Ethereum (ETH) and Ethereum Classic (ETC).

Evolution and Impact

Since its launch, Ethereum has become the foundation for numerous innovations including DeFi protocols, NFTs, and ICOs. It remains the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and continues evolving with Ethereum 2.0's transition to proof-of-stake consensus.

Who Created Ethereum (ETH)?

Vitalik Buterin is the primary creator and founder of Ethereum (ETH). Born in Russia in 1994 and raised in Canada, Buterin conceived the idea for Ethereum when he was just 19 years old in late 2013.

Buterin first became involved in the cryptocurrency space through Bitcoin, co-founding Bitcoin Magazine in 2011. However, he recognized limitations in Bitcoin's scripting language and blockchain functionality, which led him to envision a more versatile platform that could support smart contracts and decentralized applications.

In November 2013, Buterin published the Ethereum whitepaper, titled "Ethereum: A Next-Generation Smart Contract and Decentralized Application Platform." This document outlined his vision for a blockchain platform that would serve as a "world computer" capable of running any decentralized application.

While Buterin is the primary creator, Ethereum's development involved several co-founders including Gavin Wood, who wrote the Ethereum Yellow Paper and developed the Solidity programming language, Joseph Lubin, who later founded ConsenSys, Anthony Di Iorio, Charles Hoskinson, Mihai Alisie, Amir Chetrit, and Jeffrey Wilcke.

The Ethereum project was formally announced at the North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami in January 2014. The team conducted a crowdfunding campaign in mid-2014, raising over 31,000 Bitcoin (approximately $18 million at the time) to fund development.

The Ethereum network officially launched on July 30, 2015, with the release of the "Frontier" version. Since then, Buterin has remained actively involved in Ethereum's development and serves as a key figure in the Ethereum Foundation, continuing to guide the platform's evolution and upgrades.

How Does Ethereum (ETH) Work?

Ethereum Network Architecture

Ethereum operates as a decentralized blockchain platform that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily serves as digital currency, Ethereum functions as a programmable blockchain where developers can build and deploy various applications. The network consists of thousands of nodes worldwide that maintain a distributed ledger, ensuring no single point of failure or control.

Smart Contracts and Virtual Machine

The core innovation of Ethereum lies in its smart contracts - self-executing contracts with terms directly written into code. These contracts run on the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), a runtime environment that executes code across all network nodes. When specific conditions are met, smart contracts automatically execute predetermined actions without requiring intermediaries. This capability enables complex financial instruments, gaming applications, and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs).

Gas System and Transaction Processing

Ethereum uses a gas system to measure computational work required for transactions and smart contract execution. Users pay gas fees in ETH to compensate miners or validators for processing their transactions. Gas prices fluctuate based on network demand - higher demand results in higher fees. This mechanism prevents network spam and ensures fair resource allocation among users competing for block space.

Consensus Mechanism Evolution

Ethereum recently transitioned from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS) through "The Merge" upgrade. Under PoS, validators stake 32 ETH to participate in block validation and earn rewards. This change significantly reduced energy consumption by approximately 99% while maintaining network security. Validators are randomly selected to propose blocks and validate transactions, with penalties for malicious behavior.

Token Standards and Ecosystem

Ethereum supports various token standards, with ERC-20 being the most common for fungible tokens and ERC-721 for non-fungible tokens (NFTs). These standards enable interoperability between different applications and wallets. The ecosystem includes decentralized exchanges (DEXs), lending protocols, yield farming platforms, and NFT marketplaces, all built on Ethereum's infrastructure using smart contracts.

Ethereum (ETH) Key Features

Smart Contract Functionality

Ethereum's most distinctive feature is its ability to execute smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with terms directly written into code. These programmable agreements automatically enforce and execute themselves when predetermined conditions are met, eliminating the need for intermediaries. Smart contracts enable developers to build decentralized applications (DApps) that can handle complex financial transactions, governance systems, and various automated processes without central authority oversight.

Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)

The Ethereum Virtual Machine serves as the runtime environment for smart contracts on the Ethereum network. It acts as a decentralized computer that processes transactions and executes smart contract code across thousands of nodes worldwide. The EVM ensures that all network participants can verify and execute the same computations, maintaining consensus and security across the entire blockchain network.

Gas Fee System

Ethereum operates on a gas fee mechanism that determines transaction costs based on computational complexity and network demand. Users pay gas fees in ETH to compensate miners or validators for processing their transactions. This system prevents spam attacks and ensures fair resource allocation, though it can lead to high fees during periods of network congestion.

Proof of Stake Consensus

Following the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade, the network transitioned from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake consensus mechanism. Validators now stake 32 ETH to participate in block validation, making the network more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable while maintaining security and decentralization.

DeFi Ecosystem Foundation

Ethereum serves as the primary infrastructure for decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, hosting protocols for lending, borrowing, trading, and yield farming. This ecosystem has created new financial primitives and services that operate without traditional banking intermediaries, revolutionizing how people interact with financial products and services globally.

Ethereum (ETH) Distribution and Allocation

Initial Distribution and Allocation

Ethereum's initial token distribution was structured through a crowdsale that took place in July and August 2014. The total initial supply was set at approximately 72 million ETH, with 60 million ETH (83.3%) sold to the public during the crowdsale. The remaining 12 million ETH was allocated to the Ethereum Foundation and early contributors, including developers, advisors, and the foundation itself.

Crowdsale Mechanism

The Ethereum crowdsale was conducted using Bitcoin, where participants could purchase ETH at a rate that started at 2,000 ETH per BTC and gradually decreased over time to create urgency. This sliding scale mechanism encouraged early participation while ensuring broad distribution. The crowdsale raised approximately 31,529 BTC, equivalent to about 18.4 million USD at the time.

Foundation and Developer Allocation

The Ethereum Foundation received a portion of the initial supply to fund ongoing development, research, and ecosystem growth. Early contributors, including Vitalik Buterin and other core developers, received allocations based on their contributions to the project's development. This allocation was designed to incentivize continued development while maintaining decentralization.

Mining and Block Rewards

After the genesis block, new ETH entered circulation through mining rewards. Initially, miners received 5 ETH per block, which was later reduced to 3 ETH and subsequently to 2 ETH through network upgrades. Uncle blocks also received rewards to encourage network security and reduce centralization risks.

Proof of Stake Transition

With Ethereum's transition to Proof of Stake through "The Merge" in September 2022, the distribution mechanism fundamentally changed. Mining ceased, and new ETH is now issued to validators who stake their tokens to secure the network. This change significantly reduced the issuance rate and introduced a deflationary mechanism through EIP-1559's fee burning.

Current Supply Dynamics

Unlike Bitcoin's fixed supply cap, Ethereum does not have a predetermined maximum supply. The current circulating supply is approximately 120 million ETH, with the growth rate now determined by validator rewards minus burned fees, creating potential for deflationary periods when network usage is high.

Ethereum (ETH) Utility and Use Cases

Ethereum (ETH) Uses and Application Scenarios

Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain platform that serves as the foundation for numerous cryptocurrency applications and innovations. ETH, its native cryptocurrency, functions as both a digital currency and fuel for the network's operations.

Smart Contracts and DeFi Applications

One of Ethereum's primary uses is powering smart contracts, which are self-executing contracts with terms directly written into code. These enable decentralized finance (DeFi) applications including lending protocols, decentralized exchanges (DEXs), yield farming platforms, and liquidity pools. Users can lend, borrow, trade, and earn interest on their crypto assets without traditional financial intermediaries.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Ethereum hosts the majority of NFT marketplaces and collections. Artists, creators, and collectors use the platform to mint, buy, sell, and trade unique digital assets representing art, music, gaming items, virtual real estate, and collectibles.

Decentralized Applications (dApps)

Thousands of dApps run on Ethereum, spanning gaming, social media, prediction markets, governance platforms, and identity verification systems. These applications operate without central authority, providing users with greater control over their data and interactions.

Payment and Store of Value

ETH serves as a medium of exchange for peer-to-peer transactions and online payments. Many consider it a store of value and investment asset, similar to digital gold, due to its scarcity and growing adoption.

Gas Fees and Network Operations

ETH is essential for paying gas fees, which compensate miners and validators for processing transactions and executing smart contracts on the network, ensuring its security and functionality.

Ethereum (ETH) Tokenomics

Tokenomics describes the economic model of Ethereum (ETH), including its supply, distribution, and utility within the ecosystem. Factors such as total supply, circulating supply, and token allocation to the team, investors, or community play a major role in shaping its market behavior.

Pro Tip: Understanding ETH's tokenomics, price trends, and market sentiment can help you better assess its potential future price movements.

Ethereum (ETH) Price History

Price history provides valuable context for ETH, showing how the token has reacted to different market conditions since its launch. By studying historical highs, lows, and overall trends, traders can spot patterns or gain perspective on the token's volatility. Explore the ETH historical price movement now!

Ethereum (ETH) Price Prediction

Building on tokenomics and past performance, price predictions for ETH aim to estimate where the token might be headed. Analysts and traders often look at supply dynamics, adoption trends, market sentiment, and broader crypto movements to form expectations. Did you know, MEXC has a price prediction tool that can assist you in measuring the future price of ETH? Check it out now!