Ethereum's revolutionary vision
Imagine if the internet had a single computer that everyone could use to run programs that no one could shut down. That's exactly what Ethereum created - a “world computer” that's decentralized and unstoppable.
“What if we could build applications that run exactly as programmed without any possibility of downtime, censorship, fraud, or third-party interference?”
- Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum Founder
Before Ethereum, blockchains like Bitcoin could only transfer value. Ethereum added the ability to run programs (smart contracts) on the blockchain, creating a global platform for decentralized applications.
Think of Ethereum as a massive computer that exists everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It's like having a computer that:
Ethereum's world computer enabled entirely new types of applications that were impossible before:
Banking without banks - lending, borrowing, trading
Digital ownership and collectibles
Ethereum didn't just create a new cryptocurrency - it created an entirely new paradigm for how applications can be built and operated in a trustless, decentralized manner.
What makes Ethereum unique?