
Launched in 2015, Ether is the second-largest global cryptocurrency by volume behind Bitcoin. It can be traded as an investment (ticker: ETH), and is the native currency of the Ethereum software platform.
While Bitcoin and Ethereum both use blockchain to support their cryptocurrencies, Ethereum uses more sophisticated technology that enables it to run applications. It was the first platform to develop smart contracts such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which can be used to represent real-world objects such as digital artwork.