EthereumETH
The programmable blockchain that powers most of crypto.
30-day price
Where the chart sits — description, not prediction
Between its 50-day ($1.8K) and 200-day ($2.1K) averages — a trend in transition. 30-day range $1.6K–$2.0K; currently in the upper third of that range. RSI(14) 48 — momentum roughly neutral.
Computed from daily closing prices (CoinGecko), July 28, 2026. Compare all coins →
What is Ethereum?
Ethereum is a blockchain that runs programs, not just payments. Where Bitcoin was designed mainly to move and store value, Ethereum was built as a global, shared computer: developers deploy self-executing code called smart contracts, and those contracts power most of the crypto economy — decentralised exchanges, lending platforms, stablecoins, NFTs, and games. Its native currency, ether (ETH), is used to pay for the computing power these programs consume.
Ethereum grew out of a 2013 whitepaper by Vitalik Buterin, then a teenage programmer, and launched in 2015 after a public crowdsale that sold ETH for around $0.31 each. It quickly became the default platform for building crypto applications, and the foundation for entire sectors — the 2017 token boom and the later rise of decentralised finance both ran largely on Ethereum.
Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum has no fixed supply cap, but a series of upgrades has reshaped its economics. The most important, "the Merge" in 2022, switched the network from energy-intensive mining to proof-of-stake and cut new issuance by around 90%. ETH is held both as an investment and as the working fuel of the applications built on top of it.
What has moved Ethereum
2014 ICO
Ethereum raised about $18.3 million in a 2014 crowdsale, selling ETH at roughly $0.31 — a price that would later look extraordinary.
2020-21 — DeFi and NFTs
Ethereum was the engine of the decentralised-finance boom and the NFT craze, demand that helped push ETH to its 2021 cycle highs.
Sep 2022 — the Merge
Ethereum transitioned from proof-of-work mining to proof-of-stake on September 15, 2022, cutting energy use by over 99% and reducing new ETH issuance by roughly 90% — a change nicknamed the "triple halving."
Jul 2024 — the spot ETF
US regulators approved spot Ethereum ETFs in 2024, extending to ETH the same regulated-access path that Bitcoin received earlier that year.
Aug 2025 — record high
ETH set a new all-time high near $4,950 in August 2025, finally surpassing its 2021 record after nearly four years, before the broader 2026 market correction pulled it back.
Notable moments
Born from a game nerf
Buterin has said part of his motivation for decentralisation came from a video game: when the makers of World of Warcraft nerfed his favourite character's ability, the powerlessness of centralised control stuck with him.
The DAO hack and the great fork
In 2016 a flagship project called "The DAO" was drained of around $60 million through a code flaw. The community's controversial decision to reverse it split the chain in two — today's Ethereum, and the unreversed Ethereum Classic.
Gas, in gwei
Ethereum fees are measured in "gwei," tiny fractions of an ether. When the network is busy, gas fees spike like surge pricing — a recurring complaint that drove the rise of cheaper "layer 2" networks built on top.
Common questions
What is Ethereum used for?
It runs smart contracts — self-executing programs that power decentralised exchanges, lending, stablecoins, NFTs, and more. Ether (ETH) pays for the computing those programs use.
What was the Merge?
A 2022 upgrade that switched Ethereum from energy-intensive mining to proof-of-stake, cutting its energy use by over 99% and sharply reducing new ETH issuance.
Does Ethereum have a supply limit?
No fixed cap like Bitcoin, but post-Merge issuance is low and a fee-burning mechanism can make ETH deflationary during busy periods.