Ethereum
A blockchain designed to run programs — smart contracts — as well as move value. It moved from proof of work to proof of stake in 2022, and most DeFi and token activity has been built on it or on networks compatible with it.
Also called ETH
A blockchain designed to run programs — smart contracts — as well as move value. It moved from proof of work to proof of stake in 2022, and most DeFi and token activity has been built on it or on networks compatible with it.
Why it matters
Its transaction fees are paid in ETH and rise with demand for block space.
Related terms
- Smart Contract
- Gas Fee
- Proof of Stake
Keep reading
Proof of Work
A consensus method in which participants compete to solve a computational puzzle to add…
DeFi
Financial services — lending, trading, derivatives — built from smart contracts rather than intermediaries,…
Blockchain
A shared record of transactions maintained by many independent computers, where each block of…
Exchange
A venue for trading assets. A centralised exchange holds customer funds and matches orders…
Gas Fee
The payment for the computation a blockchain transaction consumes, paid in the network's own…
Whale
A holder large enough that their transactions can move a market on their own.