Ethereum is the leading smart contract platform. It allows developers to build decentralised applications (dApps) and enabled the explosion of DeFi, NFTs, and token issuance. Transitioned from Proof of Work to Proof of Stake in 2022.
2013
Vitalik Buterin publishes Ethereum whitepaper
2015
Ethereum mainnet launches
2016
The DAO hack — $60M stolen, contentious hard fork follows
2020
DeFi summer — billions locked in Ethereum protocols
2021
NFT boom — $41B in NFT sales
2022
The Merge — Ethereum transitions to Proof of Stake
Smart contract platform, DeFi, NFTs, decentralised applications
💡 Did You Know
Vitalik Buterin published the Ethereum whitepaper at age 19 and was named a Thiel Fellow before dropping out of university to build it
⚠ Controversies & Red Flags
The DAO hack in 2016 led to a controversial hard fork that split the chain into Ethereum and Ethereum Classic