Ethereum

Learn

  • What is Ethereum?

    Ethereum is a blockchain platform anyone can use to create decentralized applications (dApps). Ethereum also has its own native cryptocurrency, ether.

  • What's the difference between Ethereum, ethereum, ether, and ETH?

    Ethereum, with a capital E, refers to the blockchain. The Ethereum blockchain is programmable, allowing for the creation of decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.

    Ethereum's native token is ether, also referred to as ethereum, lowercase e, or abbreviated as ETH. This token helps users make payments and collect fees on the Ethereum network.

    Note: When you trade ethereum on Fidelity Crypto℠, you're trading its native token ether.

  • What is Ether?

    Ether is the native cryptocurrency for the Ethereum blockchain. Ether can make payments and collect fees from users interacting with applications on the network.

  • Who created Ethereum?

    A Canadian programmer named Vitalik Buterin co-created Ethereum in 2014.

    (Note there were 4 others who worked on it as well, but he was the head of the project)

  • How is the price of ethereum determined?

    The price of ethereum depends on how much investors are willing to pay for it. Things like the stock market, inflation, conversion rates, and larger economic moves can also influence the price of ethereum.

    The core value proposition for ethereum grows as the number of tokens, smart contracts, users, and developers choosing to interact with the Ethereum network increases.

  • What is ethereum used for?

    Ethereum allows for the creation of smart contracts, or computer programs that reside on the Ethereum blockchain.

    These smart contracts are the building blocks of the different functions and decentralized applications (dApps) that can be built on the Ethereum network.

  • When was Ethereum created?

    The Ethereum whitepaper was released in 2013 and Ethereum launched in 2015.

  • How many ethereum will be created?

    Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum does not have a fixed supply or issuance schedule of new ethereum. However, Ethereum does have a burning feature, which reduces the supply over time.

  • How are new ethereum created?

    In September 2022, Ethereum moved to proof of stake. This system uses validators to stake Ethereum's native token Ether (ETH), confirm transactions, and secure its network. In return, these validators receive newly created ETH tokens based on how much ETH they stake, or post as collateral.

  • What are decentralized applications?

    Decentralized applications (dApps) are just like the internet apps you interact with on a daily basis, except that they're built on top of blockchains. Users can directly connect their wallets to dApps and interact with them in a variety of ways.

  • What are ERC-20 tokens?

    ERC-20 is a standard for fungible tokens (tokens that each have the same value and are interchangeable, like the U.S. dollar). ERC-20 tokens are built on the Ethereum network, and today there are hundreds of thousands of them.

  • Is Ethereum backed by anything?

    Ethereum isn't backed by a central authority such as a bank or financial institution. Ethereum is backed by the tokens, smart contracts, developers, and users choosing to interact with the Ethereum network.