Ethereum News

Ethereum (ETH) was launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin and a team of co-founders as the world's first programmable blockchain, enabling smart contracts and decentralized applications (dApps) that extend far beyond simple peer-to-peer transactions. After transitioning from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake consensus through "The Merge" in 2022, Ethereum now processes transactions more efficiently while maintaining its position as the foundation for decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 innovation.

The Ethereum ecosystem encompasses thousands of decentralized applications, from DeFi protocols like Uniswap and Aave to NFT marketplaces, gaming platforms, and layer-2 scaling solutions like Arbitrum and Polygon. Developers, validators, and users interact within this programmable economy where ETH serves as both a digital currency and the fuel powering smart contract execution through gas fees.

CoinDesk covers all aspects of Etherum, from protocol upgrades and scaling developments to DeFi innovation and regulatory implications. Our reporters track everything from Ethereum's roadmap milestones and staking developments to the broader implications of programmable money and decentralized autonomous organizations.

DISCLOSURE: This text was written with the assistance of AI, then reviewed by a person.

Tech

The $55M Hack That Almost Brought Ethereum Down

Matthew Leising's new book "Out of the Ether" tells the history of Ethereum and the story behind the hack that almost brought the network to its knees.

By Matthew LeisingSep 17, 2020

Finance

How Normies Are Getting Crypto-Rich With DeFi

DeFi may be a whale's game, but plenty of small players are making life-changing amounts of money with these risky crypto experiments.

By Leigh CuenSep 17, 2020

DeFi's current food craze is providing some crypto fans with major returns. (Mick Haupt/Unsplash)

Tech

Ethereum’s Pending Transactions Jump 30% After Uniswap’s Token Claim Begins

The number of pending transactions has reached over 210,000 after the claim for Uniswap's UNI token starts.

By Wolfie ZhaoSep 17, 2020

Number of pending transactions on Ethereum (Etherscan.io)

Markets

First Mover: Binance's CZ Doesn't Even Dispute That DeFi Might Be Inevitable

Big crypto exchanges like Binance, Huobi and OKEx are rushing out DeFi platforms to cash in on the fast-growing industry and stanch user defections.

By Bradley Keoun, Muyao Shen, Omkar Godbole, Sebastian SinclairSep 16, 2020

Binance CEO Changpeng "CZ" Zhao says the centralized exchange's BNB tokens might benefit from the decentralization trend.

Markets

First Mover: Ethereum Gets Unplanned Stress Test as DeFi Fever Grows

The Ethereum blockchain's soaring gas prices don't seem to have deterred customers as DeFi usage grows and tests what the market can bear.

By Bradley KeounSep 11, 2020

DeFi is pushing up usage and fees on Ethereum, and the blockchain network so far is passing the stress test. (Flickr Creative Commons, modified by CoinDesk)

Markets

First Mover: DeFi 'Vampire' SushiSwap Sucks $800M from Uniswap; BitMEX Basis Lags

SushiSwap, the "vampire mining" protocol, sucked more than $800 million from rival Uniswap in the latest DeFi mind-bender. PLUS: BitMEX futures distortions.

By Bradley Keoun, Omkar Godbole, Sebastian SinclairSep 10, 2020

Markets

Bitcoin News Roundup for Sept. 9, 2020

With bitcoin hovering just above $10,000 and a tokenized form of Ethereum transaction fees in the crosshairs, CoinDesk’s Markets Daily is back for your latest crypto news roundup!

By Adam B. LevineSep 9, 2020

Videos

What Is Yield Farming? DeFi’s Hot Trend Explained

The world of decentralized finance (DeFi) has taken off, giving birth to Ethereum-based applications like yield farming and liquidity mining. CoinDesk Senior Research Analyst Galen Moore guides us through what all these concepts mean and how people are making money in DeFi.

Sep 8, 2020