Born in 2015, Ethereum stands tall as the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization and serves as an open-source blockchain platform fueling smart contract functionality. Its visionary founder, Vitalik Buterin, sought to expand the potential of blockchain beyond mere digital currency transactions. Ethereum introduced the concept of programmable contracts, allowing developers to create decentralized applications (dApps) and execute complex, self-executing agreements without the need for intermediaries. <br><br>Ether (ETH), Ethereum's native cryptocurrency, fuels these smart contracts and incentivizes miners to secure the network. This fueling mechanism has given rise to a vibrant ecosystem of decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and various other use cases. Ethereum's flexibility and robustness have made it the platform of choice for numerous innovative projects, giving rise to a vast community of developers, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts.