What is Ethereum used for?

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Ethereum (ETH) is a decentralized, open-source blockchain that functions as a "programmable world computer." Where Bitcoin mostly moves value, Ethereum runs smart contracts — code that executes automatically without a central authority — so developers can build full applications on top of it. What it's actually used for: - DeFi — lending, borrowing, trading, and yield protocols with over $14B in active applications. - Smart contracts & dApps — any decentralized app, from marketplaces to games. - Tokens — the ERC-20 standard powers nearly all tokens (stablecoins like USDC, governance tokens, etc.). - NFTs — the ERC-721 standard that launched the NFT market. - Layer 2 scaling — countless L2 networks (Optimism, Arbitrum, Base) are built on top of it. - Gas payments — ETH pays for network transaction fees. It switched to Proof of Stake in September 2022, cutting energy use by over 99%. Market snapshot (live): price $2,416 · market cap $291.6B (#2) · 24h volume $13.6B · 24h change +0.1%. Where it trades — verified live listings on all major exchanges: - Binance — 0.10%/0.10% fees - OKX - Bybit — 0.10%/0.10% - Bitget — 0.10%/0.10% - KuCoin — 0.10%/0.10% Ethereum — Price $2,416 · MCap $291.6B · Vol $13.6B · 24h +0.1% Risk factors: very low for a crypto asset — Ethereum is a well-established L1 with no red flags (no mintable supply, no transfer tax). The two gaps no data source can fill: the team's identity is public but diverse (Ethereum Foundation + core devs), and there's no formal vesting schedule to report since the network uses ongoing issuance. Not financial advice.