Ethereum ecosystem

Cryptocurrency education handbook with an open book and connected blockchain blocks

Understanding the Ethereum ecosystem

Browse the buying guides

Ethereum is a smart-contract blockchain on which applications can issue tokens and run financial, gaming and governance services. ETH is the network’s native asset; an ERC-20 token is created by a separate contract and can have entirely different supply rules and risks.

How it works

An Ethereum ecosystem label can also include applications operating across several chains. Owning their token does not mean owning ETH or a claim on Ethereum’s fee revenue. For a wallet withdrawal, identify Ethereum mainnet versus a Layer 2 or bridged version. The same ticker can refer to different contracts, and an approval can grant an application permission to spend tokens.

Browse the buying guides

All buying guides

Buy Ethereum (ETH) — A simple guide

If you're looking to buy Ethereum (ETH), you're in the right place. Ethereum is one of the most widely used blockchain platforms in the world, and ETH is available on major exchanges including...

read more

Buy Ethena USDe (USDE) — A simple guide

If you're looking to buy Ethena USDe (USDE), you've come to the right place. USDe is one of the more innovative stablecoin projects in the crypto space, combining synthetic dollar mechanics with...

read more
Blockchain explained: connected blocks in a blockchain network