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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteEthereum is a public blockchain and shared computing platform; ETH, also called ether, is its native cryptocurrency. Ethereum nodes agree on the network’s state and run transactions in the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Those transactions can transfer ETH or interact with smart contracts. ETH pays transaction fees and is staked by validators to help secure Ethereum Mainnet, which uses proof-of-stake.
What is Ethereum?
Ethereum is a public database maintained across a network of computers, not a single company’s server. Its blockchain records transactions and the resulting state of accounts and applications. Network nodes verify transactions and agree on updates to that state.
What sets Ethereum apart from a payment-only blockchain is its shared computing environment: the Ethereum Virtual Machine, or EVM. Developers deploy smart contracts—programs that run according to their code—to the EVM. Users can then submit transactions that call those programs, such as instructions for an application to update its records or move tokens.
How does Ethereum work?
A transaction is a signed request to change Ethereum’s state. It might send ETH to another account or ask a smart contract to perform an operation. Nodes check and execute valid transactions, and Ethereum’s consensus process determines which updates become part of the agreed chain.
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- A user prepares and signs a transaction. Wallet software helps the user access an account and authorize an action with its keys.
- The transaction requests computation. It can transfer ETH or interact with a contract deployed on the EVM.
- Validators propose and attest to blocks. Ethereum’s proof-of-stake consensus process orders transactions and lets nodes verify the resulting state.
- The network records the update. Once accepted into the chain, the transaction’s effects are reflected in Ethereum’s shared state.
Smart contracts make applications reusable: a contract remains available on the network for later transactions to call. A transaction can fail to complete its intended action, but its execution may still use computational resources and incur a fee.
How are Ethereum and ETH different?
| Term | What it means | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Ethereum | The blockchain network and shared computing platform | Maintains shared state and executes transactions and smart contracts through the EVM |
| ETH (ether) | Ethereum’s native cryptocurrency | Pays transaction fees and is staked by validators; it is also used as collateral and as a unit of account in parts of the ecosystem |
People sometimes say “Ethereum” when they mean ETH or ETH’s market price. More precisely, Ethereum is the network; the asset whose price they usually mean is ETH.
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What is ETH?
ETH is the native asset of Ethereum. Users need it to pay for computation on the network, and validators stake it as collateral under proof-of-stake. ETH is also used as collateral in decentralized-finance lending and as a unit of account in some NFT marketplaces.
ETH does not have a fixed supply cap described by the protocol. Protocol rules issue ETH as validator rewards, with issuance depending on the amount staked and validator performance. Ethereum also burns transaction base fees. Issuance and burning can offset one another to different degrees depending on network activity.
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What are Ethereum gas fees?
Gas measures the computational work a transaction or smart-contract operation requires. The fee is calculated from the gas used and the applicable base fee and priority fee. The base fee changes with network demand and is burned; the priority fee is a tip that can make a transaction more attractive for inclusion.
Ethereum.org’s 2026 documentation gives 21,000 gas units as the amount used by a standard ETH transfer. That is a quantity of gas, not a fixed price: the ETH charged depends on the applicable fees. More complex contract interactions can use more gas than a simple transfer, and a failed transaction can still consume gas.
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How does Ethereum staking work?
Ethereum Mainnet uses proof-of-stake. Validators help agree on the chain by checking blocks, attesting to them and, when selected, proposing blocks. A validator’s stake is collateral: dishonest behavior, including conflicting attestations, can lead to some or all of that stake being destroyed.
For direct participation, ethereum.org’s 2026 documentation specifies a deposit of 32 ETH into the deposit contract and operation of execution, consensus and validator software. Proof-of-stake runs in 12-second slots grouped into epochs of 32 slots, according to the same documentation.
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Holding or staking ETH does not automatically make someone a direct validator. Staking pools can let people participate without operating a validator themselves, but the service arrangement, custody, liquidity and smart-contract risks differ by provider and method.
What is an Ethereum layer 2?
A layer 2 is a companion network built on top of Ethereum. It executes transactions separately and sends a summary of activity back to Ethereum. This can lower fees for some transactions, but layer 2 costs vary by network and transaction type; there is no single fee that represents all Ethereum activity.
Using a layer 2 is not identical to making a transaction directly on Ethereum Mainnet. Moving assets between networks may require a bridge, which adds steps and its own risks. Check which network a wallet or application is using before sending assets or comparing fees.
What does a wallet do?
A wallet is software or a device used to access accounts and sign transactions; ETH and other assets are recorded on the blockchain rather than stored inside the wallet itself. A hardware wallet is an optional way to keep keys offline, not a requirement for using Ethereum and not a guarantee against every security risk. Anyone using self-custody must protect their keys and recovery information.
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