Ethereum (ETH) remains one of the most influential digital assets in the cryptocurrency ecosystem. As of today, 1 ETH is valued at $1,632.17 USD**, equivalent to **¥11,108.07 CNY**. The 24-hour trading volume stands at an impressive **$6.86 billion, with a current market capitalization of $200.06 billion, securing its position as the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap.
Over the past 24 hours, Ethereum has seen a slight dip of 1.51%, while its seven-day performance reflects a marginal decline of -0.21%. The circulating supply totals 122.37 million ETH, with no fixed maximum supply defined—making Ethereum’s monetary policy dynamic and adaptable over time.
Ethereum Price Live Data Snapshot
- Current ETH Price (USD): $1,632.17
- Current ETH Price (CNY): ¥11,108.07
- 24-Hour Trading Volume (USD): $6.86B
- Market Cap: $200.06B
- Circulating Supply: 122,373,866 ETH
- 24-Hour Price Range: $1,628.86 – $1,641.80
- 7-Day Change: -0.21%
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What Is Ethereum (ETH)?
Ethereum is a decentralized, open-source blockchain platform that enables smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps). Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily functions as digital money, Ethereum serves as a foundational layer for a wide range of blockchain-based innovations—from decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to Web3 identity systems.
The concept was first introduced in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin through a whitepaper outlining a platform capable of executing programmable contracts. In 2014, the project raised $18.3 million in Bitcoin** during a public crowdfunding campaign, selling over 60 million ETH at **$0.311 per token—a return that has since grown exponentially.
The Ethereum mainnet launched on July 30, 2015, under the codename "Frontier." Since then, it has undergone multiple upgrades including Constantinople, Istanbul, Berlin, and the pivotal London hard fork—which introduced EIP-1559 and laid the groundwork for the Merge.
Ethereum’s mission is to become a global platform for decentralized applications, enabling censorship-resistant, tamper-proof software that operates without downtime or third-party interference.
Who Are the Founders of Ethereum?
Ethereum boasts eight co-founders, a rare number in the crypto space. They convened in Zug, Switzerland, on June 7, 2014, to formalize the project's foundation.
- Vitalik Buterin: The visionary behind Ethereum’s original whitepaper. He remains actively involved in guiding protocol development.
- Gavin Wood: Often regarded as the second most important founder, he coded Ethereum’s initial implementation in C++, created the Solidity programming language, and served as the first CTO of the Ethereum Foundation. Later founded Polkadot and the Web3 Foundation.
- Joseph Lubin: A Canadian entrepreneur who helped fund early development and later founded ConsenSys, a major blockchain software company building on Ethereum.
- Charles Hoskinson: Played a key role in establishing the legal framework for the Ethereum Foundation before leaving to create Cardano.
- Anthony Di Iorio: Provided early financial backing and logistical support.
- Mihai Alisie: Assisted in founding the Ethereum Foundation.
- Amir Chetrit: Co-founded Ethereum but stepped away during early development.
- Gavin Wood also contributed significantly to defining Ethereum’s technical architecture.
Key Features of Ethereum
Smart Contracts
Ethereum pioneered the concept of smart contracts—self-executing agreements written in code. These eliminate intermediaries, reduce transaction costs, and enhance trust by ensuring automatic execution when conditions are met.
dApp Development Platform
Developers use Ethereum to build decentralized applications across finance (DeFi), gaming (Play-to-Earn), identity management, and more.
ERC-20 Token Standard
Ethereum supports the creation of fungible tokens via the ERC-20 standard. Over 280,000 ERC-20 tokens have been issued, including major ones like USDT, BNB, and LINK—many ranking among the top 100 cryptocurrencies.
NFT & Metaverse Infrastructure
Ethereum dominates the NFT market, hosting platforms like OpenSea and supporting metaverse projects such as Decentraland and The Sandbox.
What Is Ethereum Name Service (ENS)?
The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) simplifies complex wallet addresses into human-readable names like alice.eth. This Web3 equivalent of DNS converts machine-readable strings (e.g., 0x...) into easy-to-remember domains.
ENS operates using two smart contracts:
- Registry: Stores domain ownership and resolver info.
- Resolver: Translates names into addresses and vice versa.
It also supports traditional domain types like .com, .org, and .io, allowing integration with existing web infrastructure.
With ENS, users can receive any cryptocurrency or NFT using a single domain—improving usability and reducing errors in transactions.
What Are “Ethereum Killers”?
“Ethereum killers” refer to competing blockchains aiming to surpass Ethereum in speed, cost-efficiency, or scalability. Examples include Solana, Cardano, Avalanche, and Binance Smart Chain.
These networks often highlight Ethereum’s historical issues:
- High gas fees
- Low throughput (~15–30 transactions per second)
While alternatives offer faster and cheaper transactions using different consensus models—like Solana’s Proof of History or BSC’s Proof of Authority—none have dethroned Ethereum in terms of developer activity, security, or ecosystem maturity.
In fact, Ethereum still leads in:
- Total value locked (TVL) in DeFi
- NFT trading volume
- Number of active dApps
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EIP-1559: Revolutionizing Gas Fees
Introduced during the London hard fork in August 2021, EIP-1559 transformed how transaction fees work on Ethereum.
Before EIP-1559:
- Users bid in a “first-price auction” to get their transactions included.
- High volatility in gas prices during peak times.
After EIP-1559:
- A dynamic base fee is automatically set based on network congestion.
- Users can add an optional priority fee (tip) to speed up processing.
- The base fee is burned, removing ETH from circulation permanently.
This mechanism reduces fee unpredictability and introduces deflationary pressure. Within two months of implementation, over $1 billion worth of ETH was burned, contributing to long-term scarcity.
The Merge: Ethereum’s Shift to Proof-of-Stake
In September 2022, Ethereum completed The Merge, transitioning from energy-intensive Proof-of-Work (PoW) to sustainable Proof-of-Stake (PoS).
Key outcomes:
- Energy consumption reduced by 99.9%—from ~112 TWh/year to just 0.01 TWh/year.
- Annual ETH issuance dropped by ~90%, dubbed the “triple halving.”
- Network secured by validators who stake at least 32 ETH.
Introduction of a dual-layer architecture:
- Consensus Layer: Manages validator coordination.
- Execution Layer: Processes transactions and runs smart contracts.
Withdrawals were not enabled immediately; they became possible after the Shanghai upgrade in April 2023, allowing stakers to access their rewards and principal.
Despite misconceptions, The Merge did not increase transaction speed or lower gas fees—it focused solely on consensus security and sustainability.
How Many ETH Are in Circulation?
As of now, approximately 122.37 million ETH are in circulation.
Breakdown:
72 million ETH created in the genesis block.
- 60 million sold during the 2014 ICO.
- 12 million allocated to the development fund.
- Remaining ETH distributed as block rewards to miners (pre-Merge) and now to validators (post-Merge).
Unlike Bitcoin’s capped supply of 21 million, Ethereum has no hard supply limit. However, due to EIP-1559’s burn mechanism and reduced issuance post-Merge, ETH may become deflationary during periods of high network activity—a compelling economic shift for long-term holders.
How Is Ethereum Secured?
Prior to The Merge, Ethereum used Ethash, a PoW algorithm resistant to ASIC mining.
Now secured via Proof-of-Stake, where validators:
- Stake 32 ETH to run a node.
- Validate transactions and propose new blocks.
- Earn staking rewards (currently ~4–6% APR depending on total stake).
The more ETH staked, the more secure the network becomes against attacks. Over 14 million ETH are currently staked across more than 500,000 validators worldwide.
Staking lowers barriers to participation compared to mining rigs and makes attacks economically unfeasible—since attackers would risk losing their own substantial stake.
Where Can You Buy Ethereum?
Ethereum is widely available on major cryptocurrency exchanges:
- Binance
- Coinbase Pro
- OKX
- Kraken
- Huobi Global
These platforms allow users to buy ETH with fiat currencies (USD, EUR, CNY) or trade it against other cryptocurrencies like BTC or stablecoins.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is Ethereum a good investment in 2025?
A: Ethereum continues to be a top-tier digital asset due to its robust ecosystem, ongoing upgrades (like Layer 2 scaling), and leadership in DeFi and NFTs. While price volatility exists, its technological evolution supports long-term potential.
Q: Will Ethereum ever reach $5,000?
A: Many analysts believe so. With increasing adoption of dApps, institutional interest in staking, and deflationary dynamics from burning, $5,000+ is considered achievable if broader crypto market conditions remain favorable.
Q: Can Ethereum replace Bitcoin?
A: Not directly. Bitcoin is positioned as digital gold—a store of value. Ethereum functions more like digital oil—fueling decentralized applications. Both serve complementary roles in the crypto economy.
Q: Does Ethereum have a maximum supply?
A: No fixed cap exists. However, due to EIP-1559’s burn mechanism and reduced issuance after The Merge, Ethereum could become deflationary under high usage—potentially increasing scarcity over time.
Q: How does staking work on Ethereum?
A: Users lock up ETH (minimum 32) to become validators who secure the network. In return, they earn rewards in newly minted ETH. Solo staking requires technical setup; alternatives include liquid staking pools like Lido or exchange-based staking services.
Q: Why did Ethereum switch to Proof-of-Stake?
A: To drastically reduce environmental impact, improve security, and align incentives among network participants. PoS makes attacking the network prohibitively expensive while enabling greater decentralization over time.
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