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

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

The Chinese new year could be bullish for bitcoin (huangshunping/Unsplash)

Opinion

'Absolute Essentials of Ethereum' by Paul Dylan-Ennis: An Excerpt

How does on-chain and off-chain governance work in Ethereum?

By Paul J. Dylan-EnnisFeb 7, 2024

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin. (CoinDesk)

Tech

Farcaster's Dan Romero Explains How 'Frames' Did What X (Twitter) Doesn't

The decentralized social network Farcaster is enjoying a breakout after last week's introduction of "Frames" – a new feature that could attract attention from developers and, eventually, mainstream users. CoinDesk's Jenn Sanasie sat down with co-founder Dan Romero in an exclusive interview.

By Jennifer Sanasie, Bradley KeounFeb 7, 2024

Farcaster co-founder Dan Romero (CoinDesk TV)

Policy

Prometheum, the Only U.S.-Registered Crypto Platform, Picks Ether as Its First Product

The much-debated crypto broker says it's poised to start its SEC-compliant custody with ETH, then will soon add other names and begin a trading operation within months.

By Jesse HamiltonFeb 7, 2024

Co-CEO Aaron Kaplan's Prometheum is planning to start its crypto custody business with Ethereum's ETH. (Screen capture/U.S. House Financial Services Committee)

Tech

Ethereum's Dencun Upgrade Reaches Final ‘Holesky’ Testnet, Starting Countdown to Data 'Blobs'

The test simulated “proto-danksharding,” a technical feature aimed at reducing the cost of transactions for rollups as well as making data availability cheaper.

By Margaux NijkerkFeb 7, 2024