GLOSSARY // Crypto
Ethereum (ETH)
Ethereum is the largest smart-contract blockchain: where Bitcoin mainly moves coins, Ethereum runs programs. Developers deploy code called smart contracts that execute automatically, which is what powers most of decentralized finance, stablecoins, and NFTs.
Its native coin, ether, is both the asset people trade and the fuel that pays for computation on the network (the gas fee). In 2022 Ethereum switched from proof of work to proof of stake, cutting its energy use by more than 99% and letting holders earn yield by staking rather than mining.
Sending a token on Ethereum during a busy hour might cost $4 in gas; minting an NFT that runs more code could cost $30. The same actions cost cents on quieter days, because gas is priced by live demand for block space.
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Educational only — not financial advice. Definitions simplified for clarity; markets are messier than definitions.