I noticed something interesting while watching the market recently. Ethereum remains firmly in second place after Bitcoin, but what has really changed since September 2022 is how the network operates. The transition to ETH 2.0 and the move to Proof-of-Stake has been a real turning point.

The most striking change? Ethereum has reduced its energy consumption by 99.9%. That's huge considering the criticism the blockchain received due to its environmental impact. But ETH 2.0 doesn't stop there. The network is now laying the groundwork for sharding, which should enable it to process thousands of transactions per second. That's serious for scalability.

What particularly interests me is the staking mechanism. Instead of mining as before, users can now secure the network by locking up their ETH and earning passive income. It has become very popular and really changes the accumulation dynamics for long-term investors.

On the price front, several factors favor Ethereum. First, supply is gradually decreasing thanks to fee burning since EIP-1559 combined with staking. Next, demand continues to grow because Ethereum remains the foundation for nearly all DeFi, NFT, and dApp projects that matter. As these sectors develop, the upward pressure on ETH also increases.

ETH 2.0 represents much more than just a technical update. It’s a response to scalability and energy efficiency challenges that were hindering broader adoption. It also opens doors for investors seeking passive yields without active trading.

Of course, competition exists. Solana, Cardano, and Polkadot are developing, offering alternatives. And fees remain a sensitive point during peak activity. But honestly, when you see where Ethereum stands now with ETH 2.0 fully operational, the network has clearly solved its core issues.

The current price is around $2,380 with a 1.94% increase in 24 hours. If sharding deploys well and fees continue to decrease, Ethereum could really solidify its dominant position in Web3. For those who believe in the long term in DeFi and decentralized applications, Ethereum remains one of the most interesting holdings. It’s not just a crypto, it’s the infrastructure on which almost everything else depends.