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.

Videos

The Black Swan Event That Could Cause a Fork in Ethereum (Again)

A major potential risk to Ethereum was highlighted by a bug that surfaced in Nethermind, a minority execution client. While the bug was fixed quickly, it raised the question of what would happen to the blockchain if Geth, which is used by more than two-thirds of validators, had a bug. Ethereum developer Lefteris Karapetsas joined Unchained to discuss the different scenarios of what could happen and why he feels the incentive system is poorly designed.

Jan 26, 2024

Podcasts

The Zuzalu Retreat, Million-Dollar Bitcoin Art, and Ethereum Diversity Dilemma

By Margaux Nijkerk, Sam Kessler, Bradley KeounJan 25, 2024

Policy

Spot Ether ETF Applications Decisions Delayed by SEC

Grayscale and BlackRock are among the companies trying to bring spot ether ETFs to market.

By Nikhilesh DeJan 25, 2024

Grayscale ad in NYC (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)

Tech

Ethereum Developers Set Timeline for Final ‘Dencun’ Testnet Upgrades

Developers will run through Dencun on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets on Jan. 30 and Feb. 7, putting the upgrade on track to reach the main network in late February or early March.

By Margaux NijkerkJan 25, 2024

Ethereum Foundation researcher Dankrad Feist, namesake for "proto-danksharding," a major component of Ethereum's upcoming "Dencun" upgrade. (Bradley Keoun)

Tech

Axiom, Protocol for Historical Ethereum Data, Raises $20M, Led by Paradigm, Standard Crypto

The funding will go towards further developing the protocol and adding new hires. Axiom allows smart contract developers to access historical data from Ethereum and then perform intensive computations off-chain.

By Margaux NijkerkJan 25, 2024

Axiom co-founders Jonathan Wang and Yi Sun (Axiom)

Tech

Protocol Village: Syscoin Developer Expands Data-Availability Solution to Other Layer-2 Networks

The latest in blockchain tech upgrades, funding announcements and deals. For the period of Jan. 18-24.

By Bradley KeounJan 25, 2024

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

Tech

The Protocol: Ethereum Developers Warn on 'Diversity Problem'

In this week's issue, a focus on Ethereum's "diversity problem," the week's biggest blockchain project upgrades and highlights from Electric Capital's annual report on developer activity. PLUS: We've got an exclusive interview with a top architect behind the XRP Ledger.

By Bradley KeounJan 24, 2024

Finance

Ethereum Interoperability Hub Polymer Raises $23M Series A Funding From Marquee Investors

The funding round was co-led by Blockchain Capital, Maven 11 and Distributed Global and included contributions from Coinbase Ventures, Placeholder and Digital Currency Group

By Jamie CrawleyJan 23, 2024

Scattered pile of $1 bills (Gerd Altmann/Pixabay)

Tech

Bug That Took Down 8% of Ethereum's Validators Sparks Worries About Even Bigger Outage

The lion's share of Ethereum's validators rely on the same piece of software to power their operations. According to some experts, this could be a big risk.

By Sam KesslerJan 22, 2024

Videos

Here's Why Ether Could Surge in 2024

Investors are likely to have a relook at ether as the spot ETF narrative gathers steam and Ethereum remains the dominant chain in the DeFi and NFT world, according to analysts. CoinDesk's Amitoj Singh presents "The Chart of the Day."

Jan 22, 2024