What is Ethereum (ETH)?
Ethereum, or ETH, is the second largest cryptocurrency in the world after Bitcoin. Unlike Bitcoin, which is a cryptocurrency that allows traders to buy and sell Bitcoin tokens, Ethereum was developed to function a little differently. Ethereum is essentially a global, de-centralised platform for money and other applications.
Put simply, ETH is a blockchain that runs thousands of finance and game applications. The Ethereum blockchain is so popular that several other cryptocurrencies also run on the network. Thanks to the Ethereum network, these applications can run without disturbances, such as censorship, fraud, theft or other third-party interferences.
On the Ethereum network, traders are able to store, sell and buy Ethereum as well as other cryptocurrencies — they can also support the creation of cryptocurrency tokens. Traders can do this under what is known as ‘smart contracts’ — these are programmable contracts that are only implemented when certain conditions are met.
To use the blockchain, users must pay a ‘gas fee’ using the network’s cryptocurrency, ETH. Their demand determines the cost of these fees — the higher the demand, the higher the gas fees.