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

Starknet Blockchain Plans Much-Awaited Airdrop of New STRK Tokens Next Week

The airdrop will happen on Feb. 20, and eligible users have until June 20 to claim their tokens

By Margaux NijkerkFeb 14, 2024

Eli Ben-Sasson, Co-founder and CEO of StarkWare (StarkWare)

Tech

Ethereum Developers Create 'DN-404' Tokens After ERC-404s Send Network Fees Surging

The new token type claims to solve some of the drawbacks with ERC-404s, an experimental standard that launched last week – to such popularity that it's already driven up congestion on the Ethereum blockchain.

By Shaurya MalwaFeb 13, 2024

Markets

Ethereum Validator Entry Queue Signals Renewed Interest in Staking

The validator entry queue has jumped to 7,045, the highest since Oct. 6, according to data source ValidatorQueue.

By Omkar GodboleFeb 12, 2024

Opinion

Ethereum Has Gatekeepers (for Good Reason)

A new, non-standard token standard called ERC-404 circumvented the usual governance process and is capitalizing on a term with an actual definition.

By Daniel KuhnFeb 9, 2024

gate door cave catacomb prison jail (Thomas Vogel/unsplash)

Tech

What Is ERC-404? The Experimental Standard Whose First Token Has Rocketed 12,000% in One Week

ERC-404 allows multiple wallets to directly own a single NFT and, in the future, create a use case where that specific exposure can be tokenized and used to take out loans or stake holdings.

By Shaurya MalwaFeb 9, 2024

Treasure chest (Ashin K Suresh/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

Podcasts

Tests, Restaking, and Upgrades: How Is the Blockchain Ecosystem Shaping Up?

By Margaux Nijkerk, Sam Kessler, Bradley KeounFeb 8, 2024

Tech

Polygon Releases 'Type 1 Prover,' Claiming Milestone Set by Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin

The announcement means that existing EVM chains or optimistic rollups can connect to the prover without modification, then plug into Polygon’s newly released Aggregation layer, providing access to "all of the liquidity and value on Ethereum itself,” Polygon said.

By Margaux NijkerkFeb 8, 2024

Brendan Farmer, Co-Founder of Polygon (Shutterstock/CoinDesk)

Tech

Ethereum Developers Target March 13 for Milestone 'Dencun' Upgrade on Mainnet

The timing for the long-awaited Dencun upgrade, with its much-touted "proto-danksharding" feature, was announced Thursday on a call with top developers for the Ethereum blockchain.

By Margaux NijkerkFeb 8, 2024

Tech

Protocol Village: Metis, Ethereum Layer 2, Launches 'Liquid Staking Blitz'

The latest in blockchain tech upgrades, funding announcements and deals. For the period of Feb. 1-7.

By Bradley KeounFeb 7, 2024

Scene from Protocol Village at Consensus 2023 in Austin, Texas.

Tech

The Protocol: Solana's Missed Moment, Exclusive Farcaster Q&A, Bullish Year of Dragon

Even in a slow week ahead of the Chinese New Year, there's a lot of crypto news to cover. Here's this week's The Protocol, CoinDesk's weekly newsletter devoted to blockchain tech.

By Bradley KeounFeb 7, 2024