Ethereum: The Complete Chain Guide for DeFi Traders
Everything you need to know about Ethereum — the original smart contract platform and the backbone of DeFi.
What Is Ethereum?
Ethereum is the first and largest smart contract platform, launched in 2015 by Vitalik Buterin. It enables developers to build decentralized applications (dApps) and is home to the vast majority of DeFi protocols, NFT marketplaces, and DAOs.
Key Features
- Smart Contracts: Turing-complete programming (Solidity/Vyper)
- EVM: The Ethereum Virtual Machine runs all smart contracts
- Proof of Stake: Transitioned from PoW in Sept 2022 ("The Merge")
- EIP-1559: Base fee burning mechanism makes ETH deflationary during high usage
DeFi on Ethereum
Ethereum hosts the largest DeFi ecosystem including Uniswap, Aave, Compound, MakerDAO, Curve, and hundreds more. Total Value Locked (TVL) routinely exceeds tens of billions of dollars.
Gas and Costs
Ethereum L1 transactions cost $1-50+ depending on congestion. This has driven adoption of Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism that inherit Ethereum's security at a fraction of the cost.
Trading ETH with Alkizen
Alkizen supports Ethereum mainnet and all major L2s. Swap ETH to any token on any chain, or bridge ETH between networks — all from a single interface with optimal routing.