The Ethereum platform supports Ether in addition to a network of decentralized apps, otherwise known as "dApps." Smart contracts, which originated on the Ethereum platform, are a central component of how the platform operates. Many decentralized finance (DeFi) and other applications use smart contracts in conjunction with blockchain technology. A cryptocurrency, crypto-currency, or crypto is a digital currency designed to work as a medium of exchange through a computer network that is not reliant on any central authority, such as a government or bank, to uphold or maintain it #Ethereum #ETH #coinbase