How does Ethereum work?

Like Bitcoin, the Ethereum network exists on thousands of computers worldwide, thanks to users participating as “nodes,” rather than a centralized server. This makes the network decentralized and highly immune to attacks, and essentially unable to go down as a result. If one computer goes down, it doesn’t matter because thousands of others are holding the network up.

Ethereum is essentially a single decentralized system that runs a computer called the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Each node holds a copy of that computer, meaning that any interactions must be verified so everyone can update their copy.

Network interactions are otherwise considered “transactions” and are stored within blocks on the Ethereum blockchain. Miners validate these blocks before committing them to the network and acting as transaction history or a digital ledger. Mining to verify transactions is known as a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus method. Each block has a unique 64-digit code identifying it. Miners commit their computer power to find that code, proving that it’s unique. Their computer power is “proof” of that work, and miners are rewarded in ETH for their efforts.

Also, like Bitcoin, all Ethereum transactions are entirely public. Miners broadcast completed blocks to the rest of the network, confirming the change and adding the blocks to everyone’s copy of the ledger. Confirmed blocks cannot be tampered with, serving as a perfect history of all network transactions.

But, if miners are paid for their work, where does that ETH come from? Each transaction comes with a fee, called “gas,” which is paid by the user initiating the said transaction. That fee is paid to the miner who validates the transaction, incentivizing future mining and ensuring network security. Gas essentially serves as a limit, restricting the number of actions a user can make per transaction. It’s also in place to prevent network spam.

Because ETH is more of a utility token than a token of value, its supply is infinite. Ether consistently enters circulation in the form of miner rewards, and it will with staking rewards as well once the network moves to proof-of-stake (PoS). In theory, Ether will always be in demand, meaning inflation should never devalue the asset beyond use.

Unfortunately for many, Ethereum gas fees can run quite high based on network activity. This is because a block can only hold so much gas which varies based on transaction types and amounts. As a result, miners will choose transactions with the highest gas fees, meaning users are competing to validate transactions first. This competition pushes fees higher and higher, congesting the network during busy times.

Network congestion is a significant problem, though it’s being addressed in Ethereum 2.0 — a complete overhaul that will be discussed as a separate section.

Interacting with Ethereum requires cryptocurrency, which is stored in a wallet. That wallet connects to DApps, acting as a passport for the Ethereum ecosystem. From there, anyone can purchase items, play games, lend money and do all sorts of activities just as they do on the traditional internet. Only, the traditional web is free to users, as they’re giving away personal information. Centralized entities running websites then sell that data to make money.

Cryptocurrency takes the place of data here, meaning users are free to browse and interact anonymously. This also means DApp use is nondiscriminatory. For example, no lending or banking DApp can reject someone based on their race or financial status. An intermediary can’t block what they consider a “suspicious transaction.” Users control what they do and how they do it, which is why many consider Ethereum to be Web 3.0 — the future of web interaction.