Ethereum
What Is Ethereum and How Does It Work?
What Is Ethereum?
Ethereum is a decentralized global software platform powered by blockchain technology. It is most commonly known by investors for its native cryptocurrency, ether (ETH), and by developers for its use in blockchain and decentralized finance application development.
Anyone can use Ethereum—it’s designed to be scalable, programmable, secure, and decentralized—to create any secured digital technology. Its token is designed to pay for work done supporting the blockchain, but participants can also use it to pay for tangible goods and services if accepted.
Key Takeaways
- Ethereum is a blockchain-based development platform known for its cryptocurrency, ether (ETH).
- The blockchain technology that powers Ethereum enables secure digital ledgers to be publicly created and maintained.
- Bitcoin and Ethereum have many similarities but different long-term visions and limitations.
- Ethereum uses a proof-of-stake transaction validation mechanism.
- Ethereum is the foundation for many emerging technological advances based on blockchain.
Investopedia / Michela Buttignol
History of Ethereum
Vitalik Buterin, credited with conceiving Ethereum, published a white paper introducing it in 2014. The Ethereum platform was launched in 2015 by Buterin and Joe Lubin, founder of the blockchain software company ConsenSys.
The founders of Ethereum were among the first to consider the full potential of blockchain technology beyond just enabling a secure virtual payment method.
Since the launch of Ethereum, ether as a cryptocurrency has risen to become the second-largest cryptocurrency by market value. It is outranked only by Bitcoin.
A Historic Split
One notable event in Ethereum’s history is the hard fork, or split, of Ethereum and Ethereum Classic. In 2016, a group of network participants gained control of the smart contracts used by a project called The DAO to steal more than $50 million worth of ether.
The raid’s success was attributed to the involvement of a third-party developer for the new project. Most of the Ethereum community opted to reverse the theft by invalidating the existing Ethereum blockchain and approving a blockchain with a revised history.
However, a fraction of the community chose to maintain the original version of the Ethereum blockchain. That unaltered version of Ethereum permanently split to become Ethereum Classic (ETC).
Proof-of-Stake Transistion
Initially, Ethereum used a competitive proof-of-work validation process similar to that of Bitcoin. After several years of development, Ethereum finally switched to proof-of-stake in 2022, which uses much less processing power and energy.
Dencun Upgrade
The Dencun hard fork was activated on March 13, 2024. This hard fork introduced proto-danksharding (named in honor of the proposers, Protolambda and Dankrad Feist) to the Ethereum mainchain. Proto-danksharding is a stepping stone for future upgrades to the Ethereum blockchain.
How Does Ethereum Work?
Blockchain Technology
Ethereum uses a blockchain, which is a distributed ledger (like a database). Information is stored in blocks, each containing encoded data from the block before it and the new information. This creates an encoded chain of information that cannot be changed. Throughout the blockchain network, an identical copy of the blockchain is distributed.
Each cell, or block, is created with new ether tokens awarded to the validator for the work required to validate the information in one block and propose a new one. The ether is assigned to the validator’s address.
Once a new block is proposed, it is validated by a network of automated programs that reach a consensus on the validity of transaction information. On the Ethereum blockchain, consensus is reached after the data and hash are passed between the consensus layer and the execution layer. Enough validators must demonstrate that they all had the same comparative results, and the block becomes finalized.
Proof-of-Stake Validation Process
Proof-of-stake differs from proof-of-work in that it doesn’t require the energy-intensive computing referred to as mining to validate blocks. It uses a finalization protocol called Casper-FFG and the algorithm LMD Ghost, combined into a consensus mechanism called Gasper. Gasper monitors consensus and defines how validators receive rewards for work or are punished for dishonesty or lack of activity.
Solo validators must stake 32 ETH to activate their validation ability. Individuals can stake smaller amounts of ETH, but they are required to join a validation pool and share any rewards. A validator creates a new block and attests that the information is valid in a process called attestation. The block is broadcast to other validators called a committee, which verifies it and votes for its validity.
Validators who act dishonestly are punished under proof-of-stake. Those who attempt to attack the network are identified by Gasper, which flags the blocks to accept and reject based on the validators’ votes.
Dishonest validators are punished by having their staked ETH burned and removed from the network. “Burning” is the term for sending crypto to a wallet without private keys, effectively taking it out of circulation.
Wallets
Ethereum owners use wallets to store their ether. A wallet is a digital interface that lets you access your cryptocurrency. Your wallet has an address, which can be thought of as an email address in that it is where users send ether, much like they would an email.
Ether is not stored in your wallet. Your wallet holds private keys you use as you would a password when you initiate a transaction. You receive a private key for each ether you own. This key is essential for accessing your ether—you can’t use it without it. That’s why you hear so much about securing keys using different storage methods.
The smallest unit or denomination of ether is a wei. There are seven total denominations: Wei, Kwei, Mwei, Gwei, micro-ether (Twei), milli-ether (Pwei), ether.
Ethereum vs. Bitcoin
Ethereum is often compared to Bitcoin. While the two cryptocurrencies have many similarities, there are some important distinctions.
Ethereum is described by founders and developers as “the world’s programmable blockchain,” positioning itself as a distributed virtual computer on which applications can be developed. The Bitcoin blockchain, by contrast, was created only to support the bitcoin cryptocurrency as a payment method.
The maximum number of bitcoins that can enter circulation is 21 million. The amount of ETH that can be created is unlimited, although the time it takes to process a block of ETH limits how much can be minted each year. The number of Ethereum coins in circulation as of April 2024 is just over 120 million.
Another significant difference between Ethereum and Bitcoin is how the respective networks treat transaction processing fees. These fees, known as gas on the Ethereum network, are paid by the participants in Ethereum transactions and burned by the network. The fees associated with Bitcoin transactions are paid to Bitcoin miners.
Ethereum, as of April 2024, uses a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism. Bitcoin uses the energy-intensive proof-of-work consensus, which requires miners to compete for rewards.
The Future of Ethereum
Ethereum’s transition to the proof-of-stake protocol, which enabled users to validate transactions and mint new ETH based on their ether holdings, was part of a significant upgrade to the Ethereum platform. However, Ethereum now has two layers. The first layer is the execution layer, where transactions and validations occur. The second layer is the consensus layer, where attestations and the consensus chain are maintained.
The upgrade added capacity to the Ethereum network to support its growth, which will eventually help to address chronic network congestion problems that have driven up gas fees.
Scalability Solutions
To address scalability, Ethereum is continuing to develop a scalability solution called “danksharding.” Sharding was a planned concept that would allow portions (shards) of the blockchain to be stored on nodes rather than the entire blockchain. However, sharding was replaced with plans for danksharding, where transactions are processed off-chain, rolled up (summarized using data availability sampling), and posted to the main chain via a BLOB (Binary Large Object).
Danksharding, using BLOBs, rollups, and data availability sampling, is expected to greatly reduce costs and increase transaction processing speeds when eventually combined in a future update.
Development Roadmap
Lastly, Ethereum publishes a roadmap for future plans. As of April 2024, four primary categories were listed for future work. Those changes will push for:
- Cheaper transactions: Ethereum notes that rollups are too expensive and force users to place too much trust in their operators.
- Extra security: Ethereum notes it wants to be prepared for future types of attacks.
- Better user experiences: Ethereum wants better support for smart contracts and lightweight nodes.
- Future-proofing: Ethereum notes wanting to proactively solve problems that have yet to present themselves.
Web3
Web3 is still a concept, but it is generally theorized that it will be powered by Ethereum because many of the applications being developed for the “future of the internet” use it.
Use in Gaming
Ethereum is also being implemented into gaming and virtual reality. Decentraland is a virtual world that uses the Ethereum blockchain to secure items contained within it. Virtual land, avatars, wearables, buildings, and environments are all tokenized through the blockchain to create ownership.
Axie Infinity is another game that uses blockchain technology and has its own cryptocurrency called Smooth Love Potion (SLP). SLP is used for rewards and transactions within the game.
Non-Fungible Tokens
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) gained popularity in 2021. NFTs are tokenized digital items created using Ethereum. Generally speaking, tokenization gives one digital asset an identifying token with a private key. The key gives only the owner access to the token.
The NFT can be traded or sold and is a transaction on the blockchain. The network verifies the transaction, and ownership is transferred.
NFTs are being developed for all sorts of assets. For example, sports fans can buy a sports token—also called fan tokens—of their favorite athletes, which can be treated like trading cards. Some of these NFTs are pictures that resemble a trading card, and some of them are videos of a memorable or historic moment in the athlete’s career.
The applications you may use in the metaverse, such as your wallet, a dApp, or the virtual world and buildings you visit, are likely to have been built on Ethereum.
The Development of DAOs
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) are a collaborative method for making decisions across a distributed network. They have been created for many uses, from Web 3 development to gaming and venture capital.
Here’s how DAOs are generally designed: Imagine that you created a venture capital fund and raised money through fundraising, but you want decision-making to be decentralized and distributions to be automatic and transparent.
A DAO could use smart contracts and applications to gather the votes from the fund members, buy into ventures based on the majority of the group’s votes, and automatically distribute any returns. The transactions could be viewed by all parties, and there would be no third-party involvement in handling any funds.
What Will Ethereum Be Worth in 2030?
There are many predictions about ether’s price, but they are speculation at best. There are too many factors at work in cryptocurrency valuation to accurately predict prices in one week, let alone several years.
Why Did Ethereum Drop?
Ether’s price rises and falls for many reasons throughout a trading day and week. Market sentiments, regulatory developments, news, hype, and more all influence its price.
How Much Is One Ethereum Coin Worth?
Ether’s price changes quickly, but on April 21, 2024, it was about $3,156.
The Bottom Line
Ethereum is a decentralized blockchain and development platform. It allows developers to build and deploy applications and smart contracts. Ethereum utilizes its native cryptocurrency, ether (ETH), for transactions and incentivizes network participants through proof-of-stake (PoS) validation.
The role that cryptocurrency will play in the future is still vague. However, Ethereum appears to have a significant, upcoming role in personal and corporate finance and many aspects of modern life.
The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes online. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.
Ethereum
QCP sees Ethereum as a safe bet amid Bitcoin stagnation
QCP, a leading trading firm, has shared key observations on the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin’s struggle to surpass the $70,000 mark has led QCP to predict Selling pressure is still strong, with BTC likely to remain in a tight trading range. In the meantime, Ethereum (ETH) is seen as a more promising investment, with potential gains as ETH could catch up to BTC, thanks to decreasing ETHE outflows.
Read on to find out how you can benefit from it.
Bitcoin’s Struggle: The $70,000 Barrier
For the sixth time in a row, BTC has failed to break above the $70,000 mark. Bitcoin is at $66,048 after a sharp decline. Many investors sold Bitcoin to capitalize on the rising values, which caused a dramatic drop. The market is becoming increasingly skeptical about Bitcoin’s rise, with some investors lowering their expectations.
Despite the continued sell-off from Mt. Gox and the US government, the ETF market remains bullish. There is a notable trend in favor of Ethereum (ETH) ETFs as major bulls have started investing in ETFs, indicating a bullish sentiment for ETH.
QCP Telegram Update UnderlinesIncreased market volatility. The NASDAQ has fallen 10% from its peak, led by a pullback in major technology stocks. Currency carry trades are being unwound and the VIX, a measure of market volatility, has jumped to 19.50.
The main factors driving this uncertainty are Value at Risk (VaR) shocks, high stock market valuations and global risk aversion sentiment. Commodities such as oil and copper have also declined on fears of an economic slowdown.
Additionally, QCP anticipates increased market volatility ahead of the upcoming FOMC meeting, highlighting the importance of the Federal Reserve’s statement and Jerome Powell’s subsequent press conference.
A glimmer of hope
QCP notes a positive development in the crypto space with an inflow of $33.7 million into ETH spot ETFs, which is giving a much-needed boost to ETH prices. However, they anticipate continued outflows of ETHE in the coming weeks. The recent Silk Road BTC moves by the US government have added to the market uncertainty.
QCP suggests a strategic trade involving BTC, which will likely remain in its current range, while ETH offers a more promising opportunity. They propose a trade targeting a $4,000-$4,500 range for ETH, which could generate a 5.5x return by August 30, 2024.
Ethereum
Ethereum Whale Resurfaces After 9 Years, Moves 1,111 ETH Worth $3.7 Million
An Ethereum ICO participant has emerged from nearly a decade of inactivity.
Lookonchain, a smart on-chain money tracking tool, revealed On X, this long-inactive participant recently transferred 1,111 ETH, worth approximately $3.7 million, to a new wallet. This significant move marks a notable on-chain movement, given the participant’s prolonged dormancy.
The Ethereum account in question, identified as 0xE727E67E…B02B5bFC6, received 2,000 ETH on the Genesis block over 9 years ago.
This initial allocation took place during the Ethereum ICOwhere the participant invested in ETH at around $0.31 per coin. The initial investment, worth around $620 at the time, has now grown to millions of dollars.
Recent Transactions and Movements
The inactive account became active again with several notable output transactions. Specifically, the account transferred 1,000 ETH, 100 ETH, 10 ETH, 1 ETH, and 1 more ETH to address 0x7C21775C…2E9dCaE28 within a few minutes. Additionally, it moved 1 ETH to 0x2aa31476…f5aaCE9B.
Additionally, in the latest round of transactions, the address transferred 737,995 ETH, 50 ETH, and 100 ETH, for a total of 887,995 ETH. These recent activities highlight a significant movement of funds, sparking interest and speculation in the crypto community.
Why are whales reactivating?
It is also evident that apart from 0xE727E67E…B02B5bFC6, other previously dormant Ethereum whales are waking up with significant transfers.
In May, another dormant Ethereum whale made headlines when it staked 4,032 ETHvalued at $7.4 million, after more than two years of inactivity. This whale initially acquired 60,000 ETH during the Genesis block of Ethereum’s mainnet in 2015.
At the time, this activity could have been related to Ethereum’s upgrade known as “Shanghai,” which improved the network’s scalability and performance. This whale likely intended to capitalize on the price surge that occurred after the upgrade.
Disclaimer: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The opinions expressed in this article may include the personal opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinion of The Crypto Basic. Readers are encouraged to conduct thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.
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Ethereum
Only Bitcoin and Ethereum are viable for ETFs in the near future
BlackRock: Only Bitcoin and Ethereum Are Viable for ETFs in the Near Future
Bitcoin and Ethereum will be the only cryptocurrencies traded via ETFs in the near future, according to Samara Cohen, chief investment officer of ETFs and indices at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Cohen explained that while Bitcoin and Ethereum have met BlackRock’s rigorous criteria for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), no other digital asset currently comes close. “We’re really looking at the investability to see what meets the criteria, what meets the criteria that we want to achieve in an ETF,” Cohen said. “Both in terms of the investability and from what we’re hearing from our clients, Bitcoin and Ethereum definitely meet those criteria, but it’s going to be a while before we see anything else.”
Cohen noted that beyond the technical challenges of launching new ETFs, the demand for other crypto ETFs, particularly Solana, is not there yet. While Solana is being touted as the next potential ETF candidate, Cohen noted that the market appetite remains lacking.
BlackRock’s interest in Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs comes after the successful launch of Ethereum ETFs last week, which saw weekly trading volume for the crypto fund soar to $14.8 billion, the highest level since May. The success has fueled speculation about the next possible ETF, with Solana frequently mentioned as a contender.
Solana, known as a faster and cheaper alternative to Ethereum, has been the subject of two separate ETF filings in the US by VanEck and 21Shares. However, the lack of CME Solana futures, unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, is a significant hurdle for SEC approval of a Solana ETF.
Despite these challenges, some fund managers remain optimistic about Solana’s potential. Franklin Templeton recently described Solana as an “exciting and major development that we believe will drive the crypto space forward.” Solana currently accounts for about 3% of the overall cryptocurrency market value, with a market cap of $82 billion, according to data from CoinGecko.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin investors continue to show strong support, as evidenced by substantial inflows into BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT). On July 22, IBIT reported inflows of $526.7 million, the highest single-day total since March. This impressive haul stands in stark contrast to the collective inflow of just $6.9 million seen across the remaining 10 Bitcoin ETFs, according to data from Farside Investors. The surge in IBIT inflows coincides with Bitcoin’s significant $68,000 level, just 8% off its all-time high of $73,000.
Ethereum
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