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

Blockchain Staking Provider Chorus One Expands to Peer-to-Peer Network Urbit

Chorus One's bet on Urbit's future growth is described by executives as a natural extension of the company's staking services on blockchains including Ethereum, Solana, Cosmos and Polkadot.

By Bradley KeounJun 12, 2023

Josh Lehman, executive director, Urbit Foundation, spoke at Consensus 2023 in Austin, Texas, in April. (Shutterstock/CoinDesk)

Opinion

The Memecoin Grift and How It Threatens Ethereum Culture

If Ethereum is to grow it’ll have to mature beyond the antics of those shilling the token-of-the-moment, says CoinDesk columnist Paul Dylan-Ennis.

By Paul J. Dylan-EnnisJun 9, 2023

Pepe the Frog (PepeCoin's Twitter account)

Tech

Ethereum’s Buterin Releases Roadmap Addressing Scaling, Privacy, Wallet Security

In his blog post, Buterin says the network needs to address these components simultaneously; otherwise the blockchain could fail.

By Margaux NijkerkJun 9, 2023

Vitalik Buterin shares a new blog post on Ethereum's roadmap to address scaling, privacy, and wallet security. (CoinDesk)

Tech

Optimism Says Ether Now Treated as Native Cryptocurrency Alongside OP Token

Representatives of the layer-2 network atop Ethereum confirmed the change in the treatment of ETH after CoinDesk observed a $550 million transfer in blockchain data. The change occurred in conjunction with Optimism's “Bedrock” upgrade this week.

By Sage D. YoungJun 8, 2023

Attackers trying to exploit Near Protocol’s Rainbow bridge lost some 5 ether after automated security processes kicked in. (Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

Web3

Kraken NFT Marketplace Launches With Support for Ethereum, Solana and Polygon Collections

Now out of its public beta test, the platform has expanded to include over 250 NFT collections.

By Rosie PerperJun 8, 2023

Videos

Active Addresses on Blockchain Hit All-Time High: A16z Data

According to a16z crypto's State of Crypto Index, active addresses across various blockchains hit an all-time high for the second month in a row in May. The venture fund notes 19.47 million active addresses across blockchains including Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, Optimism, and more. CoinDesk's Jennifer Sanasie presents "The Chart of the Day."

Jun 8, 2023

Tech

Ethereum Developers Cement Final Lineup of Changes in ‘Dencun’ Upgrade

Proto-danksharding is at the heart of the package, with other improvements for storage on-chain, as well as minor code changes related to the Ethereum Virtual Machine.

By Margaux NijkerkJun 8, 2023

Tech

Arbitrum Temporarily Stopped Processing Due to Software Bug

The Ethereum layer 2 network went out of service for several hours due to a bug in the sequencer and a resulting transaction backlog that stressed the network. A fix was deployed and the network is now processing again.

By Sage D. YoungJun 7, 2023

Videos

The Case for Self-Custody in Wake of FTX Collapse

FTX and other exchange bankruptcies have highlighted the potential risks to users of trusting centralized entities with the keys to their crypto. As part of CoinDesk's Consensus @ Consensus Report, CoinDesk Ethereum Protocol Reporter Margaux Nijkerk joins "First Mover" to discuss the outlook for crypto self-custody in the aftermath of the recent crypto crash.

Jun 7, 2023