$ETH Ethereum was created in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin, a Russian-Canadian programmer. The platform is based on the principle of decentralization, which means that it is not controlled by any single entity.

Ethereum allows users to build and deploy software, commonly in the form of DApps, which are then powered by a global distributed network of computers running Ethereum. The network is decentralized, making it highly resistant to any form of censorship or downtime.

In addition, Ethereum is an open-source blockchain platform that runs on the usage of its native currency, called Ether or ETH. All network transaction fees, or gas fees, are paid in ETH. ETH specifically used by the Ethereum blockchain to pay for transactions, and is responsible for powering just about everything that occurs on the network.

The Ethereum network can be used by anybody to create and run smart contracts, which are software programs that run autonomously, without user intervention. Ethereum’s growth can be attributed in part to its smart contract capability, which has enabled a growing ecosystem of DApps, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and more.

Ethereum completed its switch from a PoW to a PoS consensus mechanism in September 2022. In a PoS consensus mechanism, users can stake 32 ETH to validate transactions rather than solving computational puzzles using mining equipment, making the process more energy-efficient.

The Shanghai upgrade brought in a range of technical enhancements to the Ethereum platform. One of the key features introduced is the ability for users to access and unstake their Ethereum tokens that were previously locked in a smart contract as validators on the Beacon Chain.