# Vitalik the best

By [sk8_kz](https://paragraph.com/@sssk8) · 2024-05-21

ethereum, vitalik buterin, amazing

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Ethereum (ETH) was proposed in late 2013 by Vitalik Buterin, a cryptocurrency researcher and programmer. The development of Ethereum was crowdfunded in 2014, and the network went live on July 30, 2015, with 72 million coins premined. Ethereum's launch represented a significant milestone in the cryptocurrency world, introducing not only a new digital currency but also a platform for decentralized applications powered by smart contracts. Its ability to execute smart contracts, which are programmable self-executing contracts with the terms of an agreement directly written into code, distinguished Ethereum from Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Since its inception, Ethereum has been a major player in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space, supporting thousands of decentralized applications and becoming a backbone for the growing decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

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*Originally published on [sk8_kz](https://paragraph.com/@sssk8/vitalik-the-best)*