Ether, the native cryptocurrency used on the ethereum platform, remains significantly more volatile than the S&P 500 for many investors. But it’s no longer a moonshot — it’s a foundational piece of a modern digital portfolio. Here’s how to start investing in ethereum. Step 1: Choose your ethereum investment strategy Before placing a trade, it’s important to understand what you’re actually buying. Ethereum is the blockchain, while ether (ETH-USD) is the cryptocurrency that runs on it. When people say ...

Ether, the native cryptocurrency used on the ethereum platform, remains significantly more volatile than the S&P 500 for many investors. But it’s no longer a moonshot — it’s a foundational piece of a modern digital portfolio. Here’s how to start investing in ethereum. Step 1: Choose your ethereum investment strategy Before placing a trade, it’s important to understand what you’re actually buying. Ethereum is the blockchain, while ether (ETH-USD) is the cryptocurrency that runs on it. When people say ...

I chose to be Proof of Work because security should be earned not assigned.PoW > PoSGm gm. ...

Why did the PoS chain lose to the PoW chain?A: They didn't have energy to keep up. ...

Ethereum itself must pass the walkaway test.Ethereum is meant to be a home for trustless and trust-minimized applications, whether in finance, governance or elsewhere. It must support applications that are more like tools - the hammer that once you buy it's yours - than like services that lose all functionality once the vendor loses interest in maintaining them (or worse, gets hacked or becomes value-extractive). Even when applications do have functionality that depends on a vendor, Ethereum can help reduce ...

Core Insights - New research from CoinShares indicates that Bitcoin and Ethereum function as complementary assets, which supports the investment case for dual-exposure products like the CoinShares Bitcoin and Ether ETF (BTF) [1] Group 1: Investment Product Overview - The CoinShares Bitcoin and Ether ETF (BTF) tracks the price performance of Bitcoin and Ethereum without directly holding the cryptocurrencies, currently holding $31 million in assets and posting three-year returns of 50.8% [2] - Year-to-date, BTF has attracted $2.02 million in inflows [2] Group 2: Asset Characteristics - Bitcoin has a hard cap of 21 million coins, creating scarcity through programmed halvings every four years, with 95% of all BTC already minted [3] - Ethereum does not have a supply cap and employs a "burn" mechanism that permanently destroys ETH with every transaction, introduced in 2021 [3] Group 3: Energy Efficiency and Institutional Appeal - Bitcoin uses proof of work, requiring significant energy for transaction processing, while Ethereum switched to proof of stake in 2022, reducing energy usage by 99.95% [4] - The difference in energy efficiency is significant for institutional investors who consider environmental factors in their allocation decisions, with Bitcoin facing regulatory scrutiny due to higher energy consumption [5] Group 4: Institutional Adoption - Institutional investors have shown a preference for Bitcoin due to its longevity and liquidity, with spot bitcoin ETFs launched in early 2024 now holding $176 billion in assets [6] - Ethereum is gaining traction, with spot ether ETFs approved in summer 2024 holding $25 billion in assets, highlighting Ethereum's dominance in tokenized real-world assets and stablecoins as key opportunities for institutions [7] Group 5: Value Proposition - Both Bitcoin and Ethereum provide exposure to distinct value sources within the crypto ecosystem, with BTC representing digital value and ETH serving as programmable infrastructure for digital finance [8] - Investors may diversify across both assets to gain exposure to different segments of the digital ecosystem, similar to how equity investors diversify across sectors [8]

Core Insights - Grayscale has launched staking within its spot Ethereum exchange-traded products, allowing investors to earn staking rewards from the Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHE) and the Ethereum Mini Trust ETF (ETH) [1] - This marks a significant milestone as Grayscale is the first asset manager in the U.S. to integrate staking rewards into spot Ethereum ETFs [2] - Recent regulatory changes have clarified the legal framework for staking, enabling Grayscale to proceed with this initiative [3] Staking System Overview - A portion of Ethereum held by Grayscale's funds will be staked through institutional validators and custodians, with rewards either increasing the fund's net asset value or being paid out in cash [4] - This setup allows investors to benefit from Ethereum's proof of stake model without the technical complexities of running validators [4] Cost and Competitive Dynamics - Staking may reduce the effective costs of running these ETFs, as yields from staking can offset management expenses, providing Grayscale with more pricing flexibility [5] - The integration of staking makes the funds more appealing to both retail and institutional investors seeking yield exposure without added complexity [5] Broader Impact on Ethereum - If successful, these staking features could attract significant inflows, potentially reshaping Ethereum's staking ecosystem and influencing validator distribution, liquidity, and overall stability [6] - By channeling capital through a regulated structure, Grayscale may enhance confidence in Ethereum's staking layer [6]

GM and Happy MΞRGΞ DAY to all who celebrate 🫡Three years ago today Ethereum switched from proof of work to proof of stake, cutting energy use by 99.95% and proving blockchains can evolve.Genius move. https://t.co/8h5yxlkL59 ...

Market Sentiment & Ethereum's Position - Ethereum price appreciation is crucial for its security and attracting potential investors post-merge, emphasizing the importance of price performance in the proof-of-stake era [1] - Alternative blockchains are considered unsustainable, with past "Ethereum killers" failing to maintain their positions [2] - The industry anticipates widespread adoption of Ethereum-based solutions, urging participation in the Ethereum ecosystem [2] Competitive Landscape - Other blockchains are described as "ghost chains" engaging in lobbying efforts [2] - Numerous Ethereum competitors have risen and fallen, highlighting Ethereum's resilience [2] Regulatory Environment - The current regulatory environment favors established platforms like Ethereum [2]

Industry Analysis - The industry reflects on the early relationship with Bitcoin, suggesting missed opportunities for Ethereum to capitalize on Bitcoin's momentum [1] - The industry considers the hypothetical scenario where Ethereum originated as a fork of Bitcoin, transitioning to proof of stake [1] Strategic Considerations - The industry contemplates that Ethereum could have potentially become the dominant version of Bitcoin [1]