Ethereum (ETH) has been described as ‘ground breaking technology’ and is changing the way the world does business. Ethereum is the value token of a decentralised platform that allows other developers and start-ups to create their own Dapps (decentralised apps) and smart contracts, which are powered by its own currency, Ether. This community is vibrant and growing at an astonishing rate, evidenced by the enormous number of start-ups that use the Ethereum platform.
The potential for Ethereum usage in corporations was immediately identified soon after its launch, and in early 2017 the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance was formed.
The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance connects Fortune 500 enterprises, start-ups, academics, and technology vendors with Ethereum subject matter experts. Members include; Microsoft, JPMorgan, ING and our friends over at Ledger who have all identified the seemingly endless potential of the Ethereum technology.
To simplify things we have broken down what we think are the Ethereum five key features;
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Ethereum is overseen by the Ethereum Foundation, who liaises for feedback and development purposes.
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Ethereum operates on a completely different blockchain to bitcoin. It has its own currency, called Ether. Ether is the gas that enables transactions to occur on the Ethereum Blockchain.
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Ethereum was the first blockchain to offer smart contracts, or what’s known as digital code, or more simplified, a trigger. It’s not so dissimilar to a gumball machine. You put a coin in, which then triggers the machine to process the coin and, voila a gumball appears.
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Ethereum works in the same way, yet it allows you to develop your OWN triggers to activate a ‘smart contract’ according to your terms. Once the triggers are activated, the smart contract is confirmed, and your gumball is dispatched, or represents something a little bigger like a house changes ownership for example?
The decentralised nature of Ethereum means that the platform can run as programmed without any chance of fraud, censorship or third-party interference. Yes, that’s right, NO BIG BROTHER.
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Ethereum also allows for Dapps (decentralised apps). This allows people to build on top of the Ethereum protocol and develop something specific to their needs. It is and will continue to be, a place where other start-up software developers can build innovative Dapps.
This is where the Ether gains its value. Ether is the gas that makes the contracts work, or be triggered. Therefore to develop Dapps and smart contracts you must use and therefore own Ether.
Because of the wide range of use and potential developmental use of Ethereum, the demand is likely to increase and so who knows what the financial gains could be.
To get started, you’ll need a Token Room account and a crypto wallet to securely store your currencies.
Ethereum can be securely stored on our range of Ledger hardware wallets or your choice of Software wallet. There’s some easy to follow set up guides here, however, if you need further assistance, we’re here to help.
You can find more information on wallets and cryptocurrencies via our FAQ.