Ethereum Price

Ethereum is a leading cryptocurrency and decentralized computing platform. As the second-largest crypto by market cap (ranked 2), ETH powers the Ethereum blockchain network which enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Key features of Ethereum: - Current price: $3,137.76 - 24h change: +0.85% - Market cap: $378.71B - Circulating supply: 120.69M ETH Ethereum was proposed in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin and launched in 2015. It introduced programmable smart contracts to blockchain technology, enabling a wide range of decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 applications. In 2026-01-04, Ethereum transitioned from a proof-of-work to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, significantly reducing its energy consumption. This upgrade, known as 'The Merge', has positioned Ethereum for further scalability improvements. Price predictions suggest ETH could reach $3,539.16 by 2027 and $4,558.55 by 2031, though cryptocurrency prices are highly volatile and unpredictable.

Ethereum was created in 2015. The concept was first proposed by Vitalik Buterin in 2013 in a white paper. The Ethereum project was officially announced in 2014, followed by a crowdfunding campaign. On July 30, 2015, the first Ethereum block was mined, marking the official launch of the Ethereum network and cryptocurrency. Since then, Ethereum has grown to become the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, currently valued at $378.71B. As of 2026-01-04, Ethereum is trading at $3,137.76 with a 24-hour trading volume of $377.98M.

The founders of Ethereum are Vitalik Buterin, Gavin Wood, Charles Hoskinson, Anthony Di Iorio, and Joseph Lubin. Vitalik Buterin first proposed the concept of Ethereum in a white paper in 2013. In 2014, the project was officially announced and crowdfunding was launched. The Ethereum network went live on July 30, 2015, with an initial supply of 72 million ETH. Unlike Bitcoin's fixed supply, Ethereum's total supply is not capped. Ethereum has since become the second largest cryptocurrency by market cap, currently valued at $378.71B. It revolutionized blockchain technology by introducing smart contracts and decentralized applications, earning it the nickname 'Blockchain 2.0'.

Ethereum works as a decentralized platform for smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps). It uses a blockchain to record transactions and execute smart contracts. Users can create and deploy smart contracts using Solidity, Ethereum's programming language. These contracts automatically execute when predefined conditions are met. Ethereum is powered by ETH, its native cryptocurrency, which is used to pay for transaction fees and computational services on the network. The Ethereum network is maintained by nodes that validate transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain. As of 2026-01-04, Ethereum uses a Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism, which is more energy-efficient than its previous Proof-of-Work system. This allows for faster transactions and lower fees. Ethereum's flexibility and programmability have made it a popular platform for various blockchain applications, including decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Ethereum uses a layered architecture consisting of: 1. Execution Layer: Handles transactions and smart contract execution. Uses the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to run code. 2. Consensus Layer: Manages network consensus and block validation. Implements Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism. 3. Data Availability Layer: Ensures transaction data is available to the network. Uses data sharding to improve scalability. 4. Settlement Layer: Finalizes transactions and updates account balances. 5. Application Layer: Where decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts run. This multi-layered design allows Ethereum to process transactions efficiently, scale to handle high volumes, and support complex decentralized applications. The modular architecture also enables upgrades to individual layers without disrupting the entire network.

Ethereum has a promising future and roadmap ahead. Key developments include: 1. Continued scaling improvements through sharding and layer 2 solutions to increase transaction throughput and reduce fees. 2. Further progress on Ethereum 2.0 and the transition to proof-of-stake, enhancing energy efficiency and decentralization. 3. Growing adoption of Ethereum for DeFi, NFTs, DAOs and other Web3 applications. 4. Ongoing upgrades to improve security, privacy and programmability. 5. Expansion of the Ethereum ecosystem through grants and developer tools. Price predictions suggest potential growth: 2027: $3,539.16 2031: $4,558.55 2036: -- With its strong fundamentals as the leading smart contract platform, Ethereum is well-positioned to remain a dominant force in the crypto space long-term. The roadmap focuses on scalability, security and sustainability to support mainstream adoption.