In blockchain and crypto, there's always a battle raging. So, lets look at Solana vs Ethereum.
There has been competition between networks, and crypto coins, since the craze around decentralised applications (DApps) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in 2021.

While the 2020 DeFi summer depended on Ethereum as the primary driver, 2021 witnessed the peak of other crypto coins, like Solana, featuring higher trade speeds at reduced expenses. This was something that Ethereum aspires to accomplish using its Ethereum 2.0 upgrade.

While the two blockchains have their own particular fans and investors, Ethereum turns out to be leading as a blockchain that delivers a much more transparent and developed space for DApps. But, undoubtedly, the two have their own significance and differences that cannot be ignored.

This article examines the significant differences between the two blockchains. We explain the working model, each blockchain's core attributes, and the developing DApp ecosystem on each.

Let's proceed with the significant differences and attributes Solana and Ethereum offer.

## Working Model

One of the critical factors that differentiate Ethereum from Solana is the working model. Each has a distinct working technology operating at its core, and each has distinctive ways of solving the issues around scaling. This section of the article looks at the technology driving the two blockchains.

## [Ethereum](/coins/eth)

### Working Mechanism

Ethereum operates on Proof of Work (PoW) mechanism, the same as used by Bitcoin's blockchain. The network is secured by hundreds of thousands of miners who partake in the operation of consensus by "risking" their computing power/hardware. This ensures that the network stays decentralised and that the barricade to enter the network is high. It also reduces network performance as it cannot process many transactions per second.

### Stateful Design

The next point separating Ethereum from Solana is its "stateful" nature. It implies that all the trades on the network are documented in one state, and if any new trade ensues, then the complete network (or all the miners) has to update its network document to reflect that new trade. This process is expensive, so Ethereum 1.0 is deemed slower than other 'stateless' blockchains like Solana.

## Solana

### Working Model

Unlike Ethereum, Solana operates on the Proof of History (PoH) working model. The model needs a series of computational actions that cryptographically define the time course between two events. This is done by adding timestamps to all transactions and following each order. This type of order sequencing is significantly distinct from that in Bitcoin and Ethereum, where their transactions are not set in a timely order.

### Stateless Design

The other significant difference between Ethereum and Solana is that Solana has a 'stateless' design. As already mentioned, this enables a decrease in across-the-board memory consumption. Since the complete state of the network does not require an update for each transaction, they can be efficiently carried out sequentially. This makes Solana highly scalable.

## Features and DeFi Ecosystem

Every blockchain has some outstanding features that set it apart. Decentralisation is undoubtedly something Ethereum has always focused on compared to Solana's focus and has driven to accomplish that through its operational technology.
Talking about the DeFi ecosystem, Ethereum is much older than Solana in the market. Solana is constantly working on its marketing strategies to draw more investors towards its network, but Ethereum stays ahead because of its market hold and the trust gained over time.

Let's dive in to understand better the Solana and Ethereum features and the DeFi ecosystem.

## Solana

Solana's critical selling point is its power to process a block every 400 milliseconds and document 60k transactions every second. These key features independently make it one of the speediest working layer-one blockchains. Further, it has numerous features that drive it to stand apart. Let's discuss some of them.

### Enhanced Transaction Speeds

Solana operates on Tower Byzantine fault tolerance (BFT), an ad-lib version of pBFT (practical Byzantine fault tolerance). This terminates the requirement for nodes to communicate in real-time, enhancing overall efficiency.
Additionally, Solana operates on Gulf Stream, a mempool-less transaction forwarding standard that pushes the transactions to the network's edge. This allows network validators to carry out transactions earlier than expected, encouraging the network to process over 50,000 transactions every second (TPS).

### Improved Scalability

A critical element that drives Solana to stand apart from its opponents is that the blockchain is scalable at its ground level; it does not need layer-two solutions to boost scale. A vital blockchain component that assists in this scalability is the Turbine block propagation protocol. It enables splitting data into small fragments, making it manageable to share it across the network. Sealevel also helps in the processing of transactions across GPUs and SSDs.

Together, these features make for a positively scalable, efficient, and cost-effective blockchain.

### DeFi Ecosystem

Solana's DeFi ecosystem is still at its developing stage, with diverse DApps being launched on the platform. This results from comprehensive hackathons and other marketing techniques the network has utilised to draw a broad user base. The blockchain has more than $12B in total value locked (TVL) across all its DApps.

One of the significant DApps on Solana is Raydium, an on-chain ordering book AMM that enables users to conduct transactions. Since launching in April 2021, it has collected over $1.8B.

## [Ethereum](/coins/eth)

Ethereum's strong point is its decentralisation. However, it lacks the power to process a vast number of transactions per second. The barricade to enter and become a validator is not too high, creating a trustless, decentralised network. To reimburse for the scarcity of scaling attributes at the native blockchain, layer-two solutions deliver evolved scalability and throughput.

### Technology

Turing-complete language is one of the critical elements of Ethereum, specifically at the time of its launch. This means that it can sustain a variation in programmability, enabling the creation of diverse smart contracts. Thus, it utilises Solidity as its ground programming language for coding smart contracts.
Ethereum was one of the first blockchains in designing decentralised on-chain smart contracts.

## Stablecoins

Stablecoins are the drivers of decentralised finance (DeFi). See them as regular currencies like USD. The only distinction is that stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that designate one unit of standard fiat currency — a cryptocurrency secured to a fiat currency. Since all major cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, having a type that stays secured to one unit of a standard fiat currency makes sense. Stablecoins do a flawless job in accomplishing that. 

## DeFi Ecosystem

Sushi was the first DApp on Ethereum. It is one of the largest order, bookless, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency trades that gives investors the power to buy/sell their desired tokens easily. It has seen a massive performance since its launch in September 2020.

Apart from Sushi, Compound was one of the primary DApps behind the DeFi summer of 2020. It is a lending medium on Ethereum that witnessed massive growth in its borrowing volume.
Ethereum, older in the market than Solana, has a more extensive investor base which finds Ethereum a promising investment for funds.

## Solana vs Ethereum. Who Holds the Crypto Power?

On one hand, the Ethereum network has over 7,000 nodes and 90,000 validators and has a market value of almost $400 billion. Yet, Ethereum 1.0 lacks scalability and is comparatively more expensive than its competitors, Cardano and Solana.
However, the blockchain is ready to launch its upgraded version, Ethereum 2.0, which is anticipated to solve all the cryptocurrency problems, especially its scalability issues; the number of transactions per second. 

Talking about Solana, it possesses 600 nodes and around 1,000 validators. According to the recent data available on Solana's website, it is presently [hosting around 340 apps](https://solana.com/ecosystem). Meanwhile, Ethereum has more than 3,000 Dapps operating on its network.

So, coming back to our question, who holds the crypto power, Solana or Ethereum? Solana has high scalability features and excellent marketing techniques to acquire investors. Ethereum has the first-mover benefit and enjoys the advantages of network effects.

Ultimately, Solana has room for development, but, certainly, Ethereum holds the crypto power. It has too much momentum, especially when it comes to DeFi Applications. Ethereum, though it lacks some cryptocurrency features, holds the second-largest cryptocurrency market cap and investors find the blockchain promising for their returns.
However, Solana is expected to shine in the fast-growing NFTs market. 

It is one of the best-designed cryptocurrencies, and it remarkably performed well when the significant cryptocurrencies fell 10-15%, which is outstanding for a crypto coin.


Solana vs Ethereum: Who Holds the Crypto Power?

Wondering what the [Ethereum](/coins/eth) price GBP could be by 2023? Crypto analysts have gathered their minds to brainstorm the prediction about the price of Ethereum this year and beyond.

Ethereum is highly popular since it’s feature-rich and has a vast number of applications that imply long-term growth. Perhaps you've heard about its connection to smart contracts, NFTs, and DeFi.
Some claim that it has the capacity to displace Bitcoin! What's more, unlike most altcoins, Ethereum is less likely to crash and burn. Still, it has the potential to moon and earn investors massive profits.

Here we explore Ethereum price GBP and everything you need to know about Ethereum prices. But first things first. What’s Ethereum?

## Ethereum in Brief

Ethereum is a decentralised computing platform that runs smart contracts: applications that execute exactly as intended, with no chance of fraud or third-party manipulation.

Ethereum as a cryptocurrency is mined like Bitcoin, but Ethereum's mining process is different. Ethereum miners who contribute more to the network receive a more significant percentage of the block reward than a proportion of the overall number of blocks. Ethereum was proposed in 2013 by Vitalik Buterin, a cryptocurrency researcher and programmer. Bitcoin inspired him, but he thought Bitcoin needed more features than just being a digital currency.

Millions of people worldwide have used Ethereum, and it has been used to power some of the world's most extensive decentralised applications. Ethereum is a versatile platform that can be used for various purposes. Contracts and programs can be written in any programming language, and they can be run on Ethereum's blockchain.

Ethereum's native currency, Ether, is used to pay for transaction fees and computational services on the Ethereum network. Ether can also be traded on exchanges for other cryptocurrencies or fiat currencies like GBP or US.

## A Brief History of Ethereum

Ethereum's price in GBP grew almost exponentially in 2017 and early 2018 due to the popularity of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs). ICOs were a way for Ethereum projects to raise money by selling tokens to investors. Because you needed Ether to participate in ICOs, the demand for Ethereum soared. However, the era of ICOs is now over as regulators have cracked down on them.

Many projects turned out to be scams, which shocked the market enormously. Ethereum lost more than 92% of its value in 2018, but it has since rebounded from the price that dropped below $100. Ethereum's price will continue to rise as more and more people realise its potential.

The Ethereum blockchain, by far, is the most durable smart contract platform. It is said that 96% of the top cryptocurrencies have an Ethereum foundation. This means that 89% of the 1,000 best tokens are based on Ethereum.

## Ethereum Price Prediction for 2023 by Crypto Experts

Ethereum price GBP is forecast to stabilise in 2023, with predictions varying from a minimum price of $1,711 to more than $8,000. Ethereum holders can breathe a sigh of relief, as most experts do not show any steep drop in price throughout the year. However, some predictions are more optimistic than others.

The Ethereum community will be keeping a close eye on the market throughout 2023. So, sit back, relax and hold on to your ETH - it looks like we're in for a bumpy ride.

## Coin Price Forecast

On a wild ride, the price of Ethereum has been spiking up and down, but Coin Price Forecast's predictions are relatively optimistic. Their experts believe that Ethereum will reach $3,237 by the middle of 2023 and then continue to rise in value, reaching $3,965 by the end of the year. This is good news for Ethereum investors, who have seen the value of their investment increase significantly over the past year.

However, they warn that Ethereum's price is susceptible to sudden changes and could drop before rising again. So, if you're thinking of investing in Ethereum, it's essential to keep an eye on the market and be prepared to act quickly. Who knows? You might make a killing.

## [Trading Beasts' Predictions](https://tradingbeasts.com/price-prediction/ethereum)

Ethereum's price is forecasted to peak in January 2023 at $3,491.198, which is quite a pessimistic prediction by Trading Beasts. They say that the value of ETH will reach its lowest point in December, with a minimum of $1,805.995.
This is quite a steep drop from the beginning of the year and has caused Ethereum price GBP to be a hot topic among investors. According to their sources, the average price of ETH throughout 2023 will be within the $2,100-$2,800 range. However, some believe that Ethereum's price could spike again due to the increasing popularity of Ethereum-based DeFi applications.

In other words, if you're thinking about investing in Ethereum, you might want to hold off until after the New Year, when prices are predicted to stabilise again. Maybe Ethereum will have a rebound and prove Trading Beasts wrong!

## [Long Forecast](https://longforecast.com/ethereum-price-prediction-2018-2019-2020-2021-eth-to-usd)

If the Economy Forecast Agency's predictions are correct, Ethereum is in for a bumper year. By December, the value of Ethereum will have almost tripled, reaching $7,000. This will be good news for investors, but it may also mean that Ethereum becomes less accessible to everyday users.

While the price of Ethereum has been steadily climbing over the past few years, it remains to be seen whether this upward trend can be maintained. Only time will tell whether the Economy Forecast Agency's predictions come true.

Month  Open    Low-High	Close
2023
Jan	 2,194	2,194-2,723	 2,545
Feb	 2,545	2,545-3,159	 2,952
Mar	 2,952	2,952-3,560	 3,327
Apr	 3,327	3,327-4,129	 3,859
May  3,859	3,859-4,789	 4,476
Jun	 4,476	4,476-5,555	 5,192
Jul	 5,192	5,192-6,036	 5,641
Aug	 5,641	4,406-5,641	 4,738
Sep	 4,738	4,738-5,881	 5,496
Oct	 5,496	5,496-6,821	 6,375
Nov	 6,375	5,772-6,640	 6,206
Dec	 6,206	6,206-7,458	 6,970

## [Wallet Investor](https://walletinvestor.com/forecast/ethereum-prediction-data/1)

Ethereum is a popular cryptocurrency, and it looks like its popularity is only going to continue to grow. According to Wallet Investor, Ethereum is forecast to have a positive year in 2023. The year will begin with a minimum price of $4,350.190, and by July, the minimum price will have risen to $5,460.000. Finally, by December, Ethereum is predicted to have a minimum price of $6,440.330.

Ethereum is an excellent investment for those looking to make some money in the cryptocurrency market. So, if you're thinking about investing in Ethereum, now may be the time to do it.

## What's the Future of Ethereum Price GBP?

Ethereum (ETH) is currently the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, Ethereum price GBP, and is expected to maintain this position in the foreseeable future. The Ethereum token is firmly entrenched as the second-largest cryptocurrency behind Bitcoin (BTC).

Ethereum accounts for approximately 54% of the $117billion in Total Value Locked (TVL) on all blockchains, especially in decentralized finance (DeFi) software. According to DeFi Llama, Ethereum is the first smart contract platform with a provably fair distribution of funds that is fully decentralised and censorship-resistant. The coin's benefits include its large developer community, leadership position in decentralized finance (DeFi), and planned to scale improvements for Ethereum 2.0.

However, Ethereum's price will continue to be influenced by various factors, including global economic conditions, innovation in the DeFi space, and Ethereum's scalability issues. Nevertheless, Ethereum is expected to remain a significant force in the cryptocurrency world for years to come.

"Several crypto firms have seen their valuations soar due to massive capital injections. Ethereum layer-2 developer StarkWare attained a $6 billion valuation, Immutable hit a $2.5 billion valuation with its NFT gaming platform, and Roofstock completed a funding round at a $1.9 billion valuation for its online real estate business." According to data compiled by James Butterfill, head of research at CoinShares, usage of Ether and bitcoin, and stablecoins, as a substitute for cash has risen in Ukraine and Russia.

"At times, Russia and Ukraine have seen daily trading volumes of US$80 million per day. This has primarily been against the crypto pairs USDT and BUSD, popular US Dollar stable coins (cryptocurrencies linked to the US dollar). Still, we've also seen significant quantities of Bitcoin and Ethereum used...We believe that cryptocurrencies are being utilised as a financial hedge against declining national currencies and their mobility, particularly by Ukrainians seeking to flee their country."

## Final Thoughts

So, what's the future of Ethereum price GBP? Experts have weighed in with their predictions, and while no one answer fits all, it seems likely that Ethereum will only continue to grow in value. However, it's important to remember that these are just forecasts and that prices could go up or down depending on various factors. In short, whether you're looking to invest now or hold off for a bit longer, Ethereum is worth keeping an eye on as we move into the future.

With such potential for growth, don't be surprised if the Ethereum price skyrockets in the next few years since it's here to stay.


Ethereum price GBP: What could it be by 2023?

[Bitcoin's](/coins/btc) price rose above $30,613, increasing by 5.62% in the last 24 hours. [Ethereum's](/coins/eth) price also rose by 7.02% to $1,902 in the same time frame.  

The [Bitcoin (BTC) price](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/bitcoin/) remained far above the $28,500 support zone and began a new upward trend over the $29,200 resistance mark. As of writing, the price has surpassed $30,600 and has increased by more than 5% in a single day. 

Similarly, the price of Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, is back over the $1,850 resistance level and is up 6% in a day.

BTC and ETH were not along in experiencing 24 hours of notable value rises on the cryptocurrency markets.
Ripple (XRP), which is another major altcoin, was aiming for an upward break over $0.40. ADA gained 12% and broke through the $0.50 resistance level. 

## Bitcoin Price Rises

The Bitcoin price began to rise steadily after establishing a solid base at $28,500. BTC surpassed $30,000 and entered the positive zone. The next significant resistance level is at $30,500. A clear move above $30,500 may signal the start of a more rapid rise. It might rise to $32,000 in this case. On the downside, $29,500 provides immediate support. The major weekly support is at $28,500. 

## Ethereum Price Update

Ethereum's price stayed firmly over $1,700 and began a steady rise above the $1,850 resistance zone. On the flipside, immediate resistance is found at $1,920. The next significant barrier is at $1,950, over which the price might break $2,000 for the first time in months. If there is a downward correction, the market may find offers, around $1,820. The next big support is at $1,750. 

A co-founder of a cryptocurrency exchange stated that Bitcoin remains stable. Although, reaching its ultimate strength will take time, experts have observed.

Over the previous 24 hours, the overall cryptocurrency market volume has climbed by 4.74% to $53.47 billion.
Keep following Latest Moni from Moni Talks for the latest cryptocurrency price rise news, breaking market stories and blockchain insight.


Bitcoin Price and Ethereum Price See 24hr Rise

It isn't just about ETH to GBP values. [Ethereum](/coins/eth) is the most well-known of altcoins, and it's much more than just another cryptocurrency for many investors and enthusiasts. Experts say that this innovative platform could grow in value by 400% in the coming years, making it an appealing option for anyone interested in diversifying their digital investments.

Launched by [Vitalik Buterin](https://time.com/6158182/vitalik-buterin-ethereum-profile/) in 2015, ETH, or Ether, has seen incredible growth since its creation. With a price ranging from a low of $0.311 at launch to an all-time high of nearly $5000 late last year, Ether is a highly volatile currency with plenty of opportunities for those willing to take on risk. And despite recent drops below $2800 over the weekend, Ether still offers a powerful return on investment for individuals who purchase at the right time, representing a lifetime ROI of over 700,000%.

Ethereum's popularity is partly due to its utility as a software network that allows developers to build and power NFTs, apps, and new tools. The blockchain-based software network includes several functions and applications all over the tech globe, especially for decentralised finance (DeFi), gaming, entertainment, and music. With multiple potential uses, it's no wonder Ethereum is one of the most popular cryptos.

Since Ethereum's inception in 2014, its price has been on a rollercoaster ride. ETH cost has fluctuated wildly in the past year, rising from around GBP 100 in early 2020 to GBP 900 by December. And while the current ETH to the GBP exchange rate is around GBP 450, experts believe that Ethereum still has a lot of upside potential. Its annualised ROI since 2014 is nearly 300%, meaning early investors have quadrupled their investment every year.

## So what's driving Ethereum's price projections?

### Ethereum Price Projections

Looking to venture into the cryptocurrency craze, but unsure where to start?

There is no easy answer when it comes to predicting the price of Ethereum or any other cryptocurrency. Many experts agree that it is nearly impossible to accurately predict the future price of a volatile commodity like Ethereum. However, they note that Ethereum has seen tremendous growth in recent months and is poised for even more success in the coming year.

Some have suggested that Ethereum's transition to "Ethereum 2.0" could significantly drive growth in the coming months, making ETH even more appealing and sustainable for widespread use. Will that happen? Who knows - for now, there is no doubt that ETH is an exciting investment opportunity worth keeping an eye on.

Given these variables, here are some expectations for Ethereum's value throughout the year:

### $12,000+
 
The price of Ethereum has been rising in recent months, and Coinpedia predicts it will continue to grow in the coming years. If Ethereum's anticipated Ethereum 2.0 transition is successful, the price could reach as high as $12,962.33 by 2022. The latest upgrades could potentially make Ethereum more cost-effective for users to mint and create products.

With the new upgrades, Ethereum could become a more viable option for developers and users alike, leading to even more growth in the coin price. Only time will tell if Ethereum 2.0 will be a success, but if it is, it could significantly impact the cost of Ethereum.

### $6,500-$8,000

When Coinpedia predicted that Ethereum (ETH) could hit prices between $6,500 and $7,500 by 2022, many in the crypto community noticed. While this bullish sentiment seemed to hold true at first, it quickly became apparent that Ethereum's price would not arise purely from sentiment.

In recent months, the rising price of Ether has captured the attention of investors around the world. According to Henri Arslanian, a global crypto leader at PwC, ETH to GBP is currently "the only show in town." However, demand and functionality will need to improve for the ETH price GBP to continue rising and capture more market share in the crypto market.

Many experts speculate that this can be achieved through advancements in blockchain technology and a growing awareness of Ethereum's capabilities among businesses and consumers alike. For example, Ian Balina has remarked that ETH could potentially reach $8,000 by taking advantage of its leadership position and overcoming its current shortcomings related to high gas prices and slow transaction speeds.

### $4,000-$5,000

ETH is currently in a good place. The cryptocurrency has been on the rise since early 2021 and shows no signs of stopping. Predicting the price of a volatile cryptocurrency is hard, but most experts agree that Ethereum could reach $4,000 again by 2022. In fact, Bloomberg intelligence analyst Mike McGlone recently predicted that Ethereum could end the year between $4,000 and $4,500. All in all, it looks like ETH is slowly but surely climbing up to where it belongs.

## What Drives Ethereum's Price

Ethereum is renowned for being the first blockchain to utilize smart contracts. These innovative features have contributed to Ethereum's popularity and helped it earn a reputation as one of the leading contenders in the fast-growing world of blockchain technology.
However, in recent years, a new wave of ETH alternatives has emerged, bringing similar capabilities and changing the demand dynamics for ETH.

Several key factors impact ETH prices and can potentially influence its value positively and negatively.

## Utilisation and High Traffic

With the advancement of smart contracts and non-fungible tokens on the Ethereum blockchain, artists and creators have taken control of their digital creations in a whole new way. This has been a blessing for the blockchain, as it has helped to grow both the popularity and adoption of Ethereum. However, some view this growth as a curse. The high transaction volume on the Ethereum network has created what some call a "bottleneck" on the blockchain.

In other words, the increased popularity of Ethereum has made it difficult for users to transact efficiently due to congestion and high transaction fees.

In recent years, the popularity of Ethereum has risen dramatically, primarily driven by the growth and success of blockchain-based applications and other decentralized technologies. However, in the meantime, several new companies have emerged that are creating competitive solutions to the existing Ethereum platform.

These add-on solutions, known as Layer 2s, are designed to work on top of the current Ethereum network. In contrast, entirely new blockchain networks - also known as Layer 1s - have been released as potential alternatives to Ethereum. As a result, these emerging competitors have begun to pull users away from the Ethereum blockchain and into their platforms, creating a steadily growing climate of competition within the marketplace.

For investors interested in how these trends could affect the value of their investment in Ethereum, this increased competition is somewhat bittersweet. While it suggests that users are still enthusiastic about blockchain technology overall, it may lower demand for ETH to GBP conversion or ETH price GBP if users opt instead for alternative blockchains with more established track records. Ultimately, only time will tell how these trends affect market positioning for ETH trading and ETH price forecasts within this rapidly changing landscape.

## First Mover Advantage

Ethereum has been a crucial player in the cryptocurrency world since its launch in 2015. Since then, many other cryptocurrencies have entered the market, including some more environmentally friendly than Ethereum. However, experts believe that Ethereum's "first-mover advantage" will help it maintain its position in the market.

Cryptocurrencies are only valuable if a community of users is willing to buy and sell them. Thankfully, Ethereum has a first-mover advantage and a large and committed community of users. This makes it well-positioned for long-term success.

Ethereum, which by market capitalisation is the second-largest cryptocurrency, is well-positioned to meet future demand growth, experts say. Although new blockchains like Solana and Cardano provide similar functionality, Ethereum has a large and active user base that is likely to continue to grow.

Additionally, Ethereum developers have shown a willingness to expand capacity if needed rapidly. For now, it appears like the Ethereum community is content to wait and see if additional power is required. However, if demand increases, Ethereum is well-positioned to meet that demand.

## Competition from 'Ethereum-Killers'
 
In 2021, the terms "cryptocurrency" and "NFT" entered the mainstream consciousness, signaling a growing interest in Web3 technologies and their potential to revolutionize the internet's interaction. With its focus on improved data security, transparency, and user ownership of digital assets, Web3 has quickly become a hot topic in tech circles.

Companies like Ethereum and other leading blockchains like Solana, Cardano, and Tezos have been at the forefront of this emergent movement. Driven by ambitious goals to develop new infrastructure that will power the future vision of a truly decentralised web, these organisations have attracted significant investment from visionary investors who see parallels between today's Web3 pioneers and those involved in the dot com boom of the late 90s.

As more users flock to Web3 platforms, it seems certain that this groundbreaking technology will play a pivotal role in shaping our technological landscape for years to come. Whether it's ETH to GBP conversion or ETH price GBP exchange rates, there is no doubt that Web3 represents an exciting chapter in the evolution of our increasingly connected world.

## The Future of Ethereum

As the saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers." And after a long winter, nothing feels more refreshing than warmer weather and brighter days. For Ethereum, the past few months have been something of a downer. Despite ongoing optimism from the crypto community, Ethereum has been struggling to find its footing following a period of intense volatility. However, there is reason to believe that Ethereum will come back soon.

According to Arslanian, Ethereum currently holds over 90% of the NFT market. He expects this year to be a make-or-break year for the innovative contract blockchain. Zannos similarly believes that Ethereum has what it takes to rebound from its current slump, citing the strong community momentum as a critical factor in its favor.

So, while we wait to see how things will play out, there's reason to believe better days ahead for Ethereum.



ETH to GBP: Is Ethereum the Next King of Crypto?

When some see the phrase ‘London hard fork Ethereum’, elegant UK table manners while enjoying a digital dining experience in [Decentraland](https://decentraland.org/) may come to mind. 

This in fact refers to something a little less delicious and more technical as the ‘London hard fork’ was the name given to the Ethereum Improvement Proposal 1559 (EIP-1559). This upgrade was implemented on the 5th of August 2021 and is a key component of the Ethereum networks overhaul from proof of work to proof of stake.

Key takeaways under the London hard fork Ethereum upgrade

•	A base fee and tip system which makes the user experience smoother.

•	A fee-burning mechanism that assists ETH in becoming a deflationary crypto currency in the long term.

•	The industry believes the update in the transaction system could save approximately 90% in transaction costs.


## London hard fork Ethereum updates improvements to the transaction fee system 

A significant aspect of the update was the change in the transaction fee system to improve user experience and save ETH on gas prices without sacrificing confirmation times. 

In the legacy system prior to the London hard fork Ethereum update, transaction fees could be very volatile and transaction priority would favour whales on the network who could afford exorbitant transfer costs.

Transaction fees before the update was based on a first-price auction mechanism. This works by senders specifying fee bids, also known as gas prices, they are willing to pay for their transaction and miners choosing the transactions with the highest bid to include in the block.

This resulted in congestion, increased gas prices and often users would need to pay more transaction fees (gas fees) than others on the same block.

The London hard fork Ethereum update removed the first-price auction mechanism. Gas fees are now made up of a mandatory algorithmically determined base fee and a priority fee (tip).

The base fee is paid in Ether and can fluctuate depending on the load of the network. The networks aim is to keep the utilisation rate near 50%. If the block is over 50% full, the base fee automatically increases. If the block falls below 50% full, the base fee automatically decreases. This regulates network congestion and allows for transaction costs to be set automatically for wallet providers. 

## What if you would like to the speed up the processing of your transaction? 

No problem, priority fees (tips) can be added as a form of gratuity on top of the base fee. Priority fees go to miners which gives them strong incentive to favour transactions with tips. In ideal network conditions blocks are rarely filled over 50%, leaving the remaining half of the block for tip transactions. Depending on how full the block is (utilisation) even a tiny tip is sufficient to guarantee that the transaction gets included in the next block. 

## Burning mechanism under the London hard fork Ethereum update

Another major aspect of the update is that part of the base fee is burned i.e., eliminated from circulation which will begin to reduce the supply of Ether and potentially increase the digital assets price.

ETH which has a price of approximately 2334 pound per coin at the time of writing 5 May 2022 has no maximum limit to the mining of Ether which makes it an inflationary cryptocurrency. The EIP-1559 burning mechanism which will slowly reduce the supply of Ether has been viewed as a positive step in making Ethereum a deflationary asset in the long term. Experts suggest this implemented proposal alone will not make ETH deflationary as the nominal amount of gas burned won’t outpace network inflation. Rather the London hard fork Ethereum update in conjunction with future proposal executions to assist in the transition to Ethereum 2.0, will make Ethereum completely deflationary.

## The ‘Merge’ to come

The next major protocol update will be the ‘merge’ of the Beacon Chain with the Ethereum Mainnet. We’ll be tracking the developments of impending EIP’s on network, for this and more of the latest crypto news check out [Latest Moni](https://www.monitalks.io/news/article/decentraland-price-prediction-2025).




London Hard Fork Ethereum Update

[Coinfloor](https://www.coinfloor.org/) Migrates Customer Base to [CoinCorner](https://www.coincorner.com/)

•	Coinfloor is one of the best Bitcoin exchanges.
•	Coinfloor is migrating its customers to cryptocurrency exchange CoinCorner.
•	CoinCorner has taken Coinfloor’s domain and user base.

Coinfloor took a backseat from providing cryptocurrency trading services after the exchange announced they are transitioning most of its services to the CoinCorner exchange. 
What happened? CoinCorner has announced that they have acquired the domains and customer base of the UK’s longest-running Bitcoin exchange, Coinfloor.

## What is Coinfloor?

Founded in 2013, Coinfloor is one of the pioneer exchanges in the space, in addition to Kraken and Huobi Global.

This acquisition sees residents of the United Kingdom who trade and invest in cryptocurrencies enjoy the services of the merger of two of the country's oldest Bitcoin exchanges.
With the acquisition in full force, CoinCorner has taken over all the customers on Coinfloor. In addition to this, Coinfloor exchange users that migrate to CoinCorner will be enjoying new features such as a Bitcoin payments solution, lightning integration, and Bitcoin cashback.

## Why does it matter? 

CoinCorner has been Carbon neutral since October 2021. Concerns exist about the high carbon emissions of Satoshi Nakamoto's innovative digital currency. So, creating such a sustainable solution for activities involving Bitcoin has been rated highly by experts.

The merger of Coinfloor and CoinCorner was based on shared goals by the two oldest Bitcoin exchanges.

Excerpts of comments made by the Chief Executive Officer of Coinfloor, Obi Nwosu, pointed to the sharing of the same principles and community goals.
CoinCorner and Coinfloor believe that there is still room for growth for the Bitcoin technology, and, with time, it will achieve mainstream adoption.
Aside from that, the merger aims to provide simple safe ways to buy Bitcoin for customers in the United Kingdom.

## How does this affect Coinfloor customers? 

CEO of Coinfloor Obi Nwosu becomes an advisor for CoinCorner. Coinfloor customers who are not happy with the migration can close their accounts and withdraw the remaining funds. Those who believe in the possibilities of CoinCorner can migrate their accounts to the exchange.

Although CoinCorner is acquiring the customers and online address of Coinfloor, the exchange will not be acquiring the assets of Coinfloor.
Several cryptocurrency exchanges have had a hard time with regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Since cryptocurrencies are sometimes used in dark web activities, the FCA has closely monitored the situation.

The number of crypto users in the United Kingdom has risen significantly. This merger bodes well for customers since CoinCorner ticks all the boxes of regulations.  
In addition to the use of CoinCorner to buy Bitcoin, PayPal and PaySafe Group's e-wallets (Skrill Money Transfer and Neteller) have rolled out Bitcoin purchases for UK customers.
With that said, the UK's central bank does not see any intrinsic value in Bitcoin and digital currencies as a whole. As per the comments of Governor Andrew Bailey of the Bank of England, investors should be prepared to lose all their holdings.

Aside from Bitcoin, you can buy, sell, and store [Ethereum](/coins/eth) (ETH), and [Litecoin](/coins/ltc) (LTC) on CoinCorner.
 



Coinfloor Migrates Customer Base to CoinCorner

As altcoin season approaches, picking an altcoin to invest in can be a tricky thing. And for investors, knowing which coin will be on the rise next is imperative.

First, altcoins are cryptocurrencies that aren't [Bitcoin](/news/category/blockchain-news); after the release of Bitcoin in 2009, all other coins were released, and they were called altcoins. Over time as Bitcoin grew in value and popularity, so did altcoin. And in today's world, altcoins have lots of investment models, one of which is altcoin season.

As the usage of altcoin increases and becomes dominant in the market, investors are more than ever keenly interested in the altcoin season—a period where these coins could reach a record high. As of 2021, many coins reached record highs, and 2022 is no exception. That's all the more reason people are very interested in this season - altcoin season - and investors, enthusiastic alike, eye the season.

## Altcoin Season is Here

The price of Bitcoin is cyclical, and it only halves once every four years. As the price of Bitcoin went up and after its halving event, the altcoin season officially began. Now investors know altcoins with small market caps are about to go up, and they are keen on new investment opportunities.

So if you're thinking of the right altcoin to invest in this period, here are a few basic ones you could invest in:

### [Ethereum](/news/category/ethereum-news-today)

Ethereum is the essential altcoin. If you don't own Ethereum, you need to buy, and if you own, you could broaden your investment by buying more if you can. Some bullish news like a move to PoS, a possible upgrade to Ethereum 2.0, means the coin will see a significant rise in coming times. 

### Shiba Inu [SHIB](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/shiba-inu/)

SHIB is another good coin to buy in 2022, and the main reason is; that the meme coin buzz made coins like SHIB see massive growth. When it was introduced in October 2021, it saw a 1000% growth within a month. Considering this trend, SHIB is another coin to see massive growth as we move through 2022. More so, with the launch of ShibaSwap - a new decentralized exchange - the currency is still very much expected to grow.

### MANA - Decentraland

The buzz around metaverse has got people interested in crypto more than ever. Decentraland is at the forefront of metaverse development. Decentraland is a game consisting of a digital virtual world, where users can buy in-game items, like land, to develop with and characters.
Items in the game are in the form of NFTs. As the metaverse expands, with major tech companies like Meta and Microsoft leading development, coins used in the metaverse garner more interest. And MANA is no exception. Decentraland, a major metaverse game with coin MANA, will see much interest in 2022 even in the coming years.

### BLOCK

Lucky Block is changing the lottery industry one step at a time for the better. BLOCK is used to invent the way lotteries are being played by reducing draw times, improving transparency, and increasing the chance of winning. With these innovations, the coins have garnered interest not just in the lottery industry but also publicly. And the way the currency is built is that the supply reduces over time, and this makes the prices go up. So buying this altcoin now can be beneficial as its value is expected to rise.

## Final thought

Altcoins are expected to see a massive rise in the coming weeks; that's guaranteed. Buying one of these altcoins listed above will be an ample investment opportunity.


4 Coins to Watch this Altcoin Season

Do you choose [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) or [Ethereum](/coins/eth)? Yes, there are thousands of coins and tokens, but these remain the big names.

Disclaimer – This article is not investment advice and should not be taken as recommending a strategy. It is for information only. Before investing your money, ensure you conduct your own extensive research.

Cryptocurrencies are the assets increasing numbers of people are looking to as they seek to diversify their portfolios.

Volatility, and therefore a higher chance of earning huge profits, is one reason.

It has been a bumpy ride for crypto. After taking centre stage in 2016-17, its prominence faded due to acceptance levels and [regulation](/news/tag/regulation) concerns.

More recently, interest has soared with record-breaking values and a market cap in excess of $2 trillion.

The potential profits have driven interest, but other benefits of cryptocurrencies have helped. These include:

- Decentralised Nature
- Fast Transactions
- Secure Transactions
- Transparent System

The upwards trend has led to many investors considering digital assets and beginning to learn about them. Some then face a dilemma; where do they invest?

Due to their market prominence, the main choices are Bitcoin or Ethereum. But which one?

## Bitcoin

Bitcoin (BTC) is often regarded as the first cryptocurrency, coded by anonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. As the first and best know, bitcoin has become synonymous with cryptocurrency. Its name recognition has contributed to stellar values.

At the time of writing, BTC is trading for $20,194 and is responsible for around 40% of the cryptocurrency market. At its peak, it traded at $68,789.63.

Bitcoin’s efficiency is, comparatively, lower than many other well-known cryptocurrencies. The transaction speeds are relatively low, and power consumption is high.

This is because Bitcoin works on the Proof of Work (POW) principle rather than Proof of Stake (POS).

However, BTC fulfils its purpose of being a decentralised currency that can be traded globally with ease and convenience.

## Ethereum

Second on the list of cryptocurrencies [by market cap is Ethereum](https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/ethereum/). At the time of writing, its price is $1496.70.

Ethereum has a market cap of $365 billion, considerably less than Bitcoin’s $817 billion. This represents around 18% of the cryptocurrency market. Its value has increased from $1,300 to the current price in just a year.

Ethereum is a popular blockchain used for drafting smart contracts to assist in almost any form of transaction. The transactional token that facilitates operations on the Ethereum network is ether.

Like Bitcoin, it works on the less efficient Proof of Work (POW) principle, yet is more efficient and has higher utility when compared to that of the Bitcoin blockchain.

To improve its efficiency, Ethereum plans to launch an update named Ethereum 2.0, which will work on the Proof of Stake (POS) principle. The aim is to make the overall blockchain more efficient.

Due to the Ethereum blockchain’s ability to code smart contracts, its utility value, compared with Bitcoin, is a lot more. Due to this property, it’s easy to develop a Decentralised Application (dApp) on the Ethereum blockchain. In addition, smart contracts are easier to code, which is helpful in developing decentralised finance contracts and assists in NFTs transactions.

The Ethereum blockchain is so versatile that it even helps form new cryptocurrency tokens, altcoins coded on the Ethereum blockchain. They can stand out individually, separate from ether, and have individual use cases like any other cryptocurrency.

## The Future

If we compare ETH and BTC prices for the last year, ETH seems to be the more logical investment as it had a better high to low ratio than BTC.

As the move towards decentralisation continues, the applications of the Ethereum blockchain will increase, making it tough competition for Bitcoin, even when their values are so far apart.

## Disclaimer

This article is not investment advice and should not be taken as a recommended strategy. It is for information only. Before investing your money, ensure you conduct your own extensive research.

You can read more guest articles at [brendanbeeken.com](https://brendanbeeken.com/).


Guide to Ethereum vs Bitcoin

The world loves an underdog, and the cryptocurrency market is no different.  Recently, the crypto-market’s 2nd most capitalised digital asset, Ether, acquired the backing of the [wealth and asset management division of Morgan Stanley](https://www.morganstanley.com/what-we-do/wealth-management/?cid=ppc-71700000088238971:700000002375621:58700007479779948:p67225276587&gclid=Cj0KCQiA3rKQBhCNARIsACUEW_YNit0Yu2BI-5Ptsa4FaGgIT3dncUlMVQy6Q2rEn9YJnDTVKYGBhGMaAnREEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds), a leading global investment bank with over 60,000 employees worldwide.

The investment banking powerhouse recently raised eyebrows with the distribution of a 20-page report filled with information demonstrating the financial firm’s confidence in the [Ethereum](/news/category/ethereum-news-today) blockchain.  Authored by investment strategist, Denny Galindo, the report details how the Ethereum blockchain technology can be more effective in terms of its practical application to solving real-world problems than  its rival and cryptocurrency’s reigning champion: Bitcoin.  

## Investors Should Consider Ethereum

Whaaat?  No, we’re for real.  In the report, Galindo presses the fact that Ethereum has a multitude of features that places the technology head-and-shoulders above the rest of its crypto-competitors, including Bitcoin.  The key takeaway from Galindo’s report was that investors should be considering the digital cryptocurrency, Ether, as a stand-on-its-own investment from the more wildly popular and more heavily capitalised Bitcoin cryptocurrency.

The report goes into an analysis of how the Ethereum blockchain technology and Bitcoin are akin to one another in two significant ways: both offer a decentralised form of currency and have a component of digital scarcity.  What the report also implies, is that the Ethereum blockchain technologies seem to be evolving in a way that leads experts to believe that they can be used for much more than a simple payment mechanism.  Galindo goes on to say that the pace at which the Ethereum blockchain is innovating clearly demonstrates an attachment to a “larger collection of activities.” 

## Will Ethereum Reach New Highs in 2022?

The cryptocurrency investment community is viewing the report as prophetic; a huge tailwind that the entire cryptocurrency market can ride to new highs in 2022.  Despite the market’s rocky start this year, there is still a feeling of momentum that is suggesting that 2022 could be a very big year for Ethereum.  There are many, many innovations happening in the world of blockchain technologies, and a lot of them are happening on the Ethereum blockchain.  Among them, the blockchain serves as an app store that is owned by no one and facilitates the operation of decentralised finance applications (DeFi) and the exchange of increasingly popular non-fungible tokens (NFTs).  

While Galindo promotes his belief that the Ethereum blockchain offers a much wider array of applications than Bitcoin, he does “pump the brakes” in his report by saying it shouldn’t be considered an open endorsement to “buy” Ether, the digital coin that trades on the Ethereum network.  Rather, the report is ultimately intended to be an educational supplement, or a primer, to help investors bone up on the Ethereum blockchain, especially considering that it is far less understood than its bigger brother, Bitcoin. 

Ethereum is ranked 28th in terms of being the world’s most valuable asset (ranked by market cap.) currently valued at $368 billion. If a bit of perspective would help, Walmart is valued at $370 billion.


Ethereum’s New Mega-Booster – Morgan Stanley News

All eyes were on Ark Investment Management today after the release of a report claiming [Ethereum](/coins/eth) could reach $180,000 by 2030.

Famed crypto investment fund Ark Investment Management released details today claiming that the market value of Ethereum could reach $20 trillion by 2030. Such a massive market cap would mean an individual Ethereum price of anywhere between $170,000 and $180,000.

The new report from the investment fund supports the claims, by stating that it all depends on the amount of market share Ethereum manages to capture from traditional finance through DeFi.

## $1 million [Bitcoin](/coins/btc)?
---------------------------------------------------------

Decentralised Finance, or DeFi for short, is the area of cryptocurrency that is currently creating more efficient, more transparent, and more reliable applications which aim to disrupt the legacy financial system. The total value of the DeFi market today is $108.5 billion and growing, with the Ethereum network currently accounting for around 70% of all DeFi transactions. If Ethereum can maintain or increase this market share in the next 8 years while traditional financial systems wake up to the cost benefits of DeFi protocols, then anything is possible.

The report also suggested that if Bitcoin can continue to ‘scale as nation states adopt as legal tender then the price of one Bitcoin could exceed $1 million by 2030.’ These are bold claims from Ark Invest, but as we all know are not unheard of in the cryptocurrency space. Only last month Michael Saylor, CEO of Microstrategy, made the claim that Bitcoin would hit $1 million in the next 10 years. Microstrategy backed up their confidence with another purchase of Bitcoin taking their total holdings to 121,044 which at current prices is worth $4.4 billion.

## Ark 21 Shares ETF
-----------------

Ark Investment Management were in the news again yesterday, as the US based [SEC](https://www.sec.gov/) stated that any decision on a futures Bitcoin ETF would be delayed an extra 60 days from the beginning of February. Ark Invest together with 21 Shares had made the application to launch a futures backed Bitcoin Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) back in June 2021. 

The ruling from the SEC pushes the decision deadline back to April 3rd stating that it was ‘appropriate to designate a longer period’ as a proposed rule change regarding Bitcoin ETFs would impact their decision. Ark and 21 Shares will be relieved to know that April 3rd will be the final date for a decision, as the SEC will be unable to deliberate any further from this date.

## A Step in The Right Direction

With more and more investment funds looking to create Bitcoin ETF’s it can only be a positive for the continuing legitimacy and development of the cryptocurrency market. Although not quite a physically backed Bitcoin ETF, futures-based investment funds are a step in the right direction. If cryptocurrencies can continue to gain mainstream exposure and financial legitimacy, then Ark Investment’s claim of a $1 million Bitcoin by 2030 may not seem so far away.

Ark Invest Holdings: Ethereum Prediction

Crypto investors are accustomed to market crashes. Smart investors cash out at the right time and invest in the downtrend, while those experiencing fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) contribute to the market collapse by panic selling. 

The latest crypto crash has erased over $1 trillion in market value. Market-definers [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) and [Ethereum](/coins/eth) plummeted to lows not seen in months and most altcoins have recently suffered greatly. Of course, several factors have contributed to the latest market crash, but we won't dive into them.

Instead, we will explore the consequences of the market plummet. How are investors reacting to the meltdown? 

## Ethereum is a mixed market 

According to Glass node metrics, the total Ethereum value in the ETH 2.0 Deposit Contract reached a five-month low of roughly $20.9 billion. The previous low of roughly $21.2 billion was observed on Sep. 21. 

While this statistic represents one position, the number of users with at least 0.01 Ethereum in their crypto wallets has reached an all-time high (ATH) of nearly 22 million. 

The statistics appear to indicate that holders with large Ethereum investments cashed out at the right time driving the market price down and leading a number of new investors to add Ethereum to their holdings at a relatively advantageous discounted price. 

Investors are keeping an eye on Open Interest in Perpetual Futures Contracts as well, as it reached a one-month high of nearly $65 million at crypto exchange Kraken. Notably, the previous one-month high was on Jan. 22. This indicates an increasingly upward trend. 

It should be noted that the number of Bitcoin addresses with over 100 Bitcoins is at a three-month low of almost 16,000. The previous three-month low was on Jan. 22 (surprise surprise). This indicates an increasingly downward trend. 

A correlation between the last two statistics? I think so. Folks, Ethereum is here to stay and 2022 will be a good year for the crypto asset. Hold tight!



What Does the Latest Crypto Crash Mean for Ethereum?

After months of development, [Ethereum](/coins/eth) finally announced their Proof of Stake test net Kintsugi went live on December 20th.

Until Monday, Kintsugi had been only available to developers looking to experiment and build ahead of the much anticipated launch of Ethereum 2.0 next year. The successful launch of Kintsugi was announced by lead developer Tim Beiko on Monday in a series of tweets. 

Beiko stated “Although client development and UX continue to be refined, we encourage the community to start using Kintsugi to familiarize themselves with Ethereum in a post-merge context. For application developers, as previously explained, not much will change. Tooling which only interacts with either the consensus or execution layer is also largely unaffected.”

Testnets often launch prior to main net to enable developers to test applications in a controlled setting.

## Bad for the environment

The launch of Ethereum2.0 will finally see the complete transition to a Proof of Stake consensus mechanism. Proof of Work blockchains are seen as slow, costly and harmful to the environment and therefore adopting the Proof of Stake model is the logical approach.

The move has taken longer than many people expected however the launch of Kintsugi is a clear indication that the time of reckoning is moving closer. Many industry experts believe Ethereum 2.0 will be ready for public use sometime in Spring next year.

## Smart contract development

The calls for Ethereum 2.0 grow louder by the day. With Ethereum transactions taking anywhere between 5 minutes and four hours depending on network congestion, a Proof of Work model will bring much needed speed to the network. Current transaction costs also make the network unattractive to developers. The general feeling is that when Ethereum 2.0 is launched we will see a massive rise in network use and smart contract application development which will benefit all areas of the industry.

## Stability

Kintsugi will run until the network reaches stability along with other pre launched testnets. Beiko explained that “existing long lived testnets will run through ‘The Merge’. Once these have upgraded and are stable, next up is Ethereum mainnet transition to Proof of Stake.”



Ethereum POS Testnet Kintsugi Release 

It was all eyes on the price of [Ethereum](/coins/eth) at the end of the week as many industry experts predicted a sharp breakout is on the immediate horizon.

Twitter and the internet were yesterday alight with rumours that Ethereum was about to break out to the upside in a strong move reminiscent of late 2017.

The price of Ethereum against Bitcoin at the time of writing sat at 0.08btc with many technical experts expecting a surge to at least 0.2btc which, given the present price of Bitcoin hovering around the $56,500 mark, would bring Ethereum into the $11,000 territory.

With the long-awaited launch of Ethereum 2.0 due to be finally revealed sometime during Q1 of 2022, an increase in Ethereum’s price would seem like a sure-fire bet.

## The Future of Finance

However, in typical Murphy’s Law fashion, as Ethereum came within 2% of its all-time high of $4,845, the United States Lower House announced details of a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, December 8th to discuss Digital Assets and the Future of Finance, leading to uncertainty and a cooling of the optimistic price action.

That being said, if the current price trajectory through 2021 continues, 2022 looks like it could be a very promising year for Ethereum.

In late 2017 the price of Ethereum against Bitcoin hit an all-time high of 0.15btc before cooling considerably through 2018 and 2019. In May this year, as the crypto market pumped in unison, we saw Ethereum reach 0.085btc leading to a price of $4,300. Since then, the price of Ethereum/Bitcoin has been consolidating just below 0.08btc although a significant break out above the trend line this week has created many new calls for optimism.

## More turkey or time for something new?

While a 550% increase in the price of Ethereum through 2021 may sound like a cause for celebration, when compared against the 14,800% gains made by rival smart contract platform Solana it is clear Ethereum has a lot of catching up to do.

The major hindrance for Ethereum so far has been the low speeds and high transaction fees to conduct business across the network.

While it is still the number one place to go to for smart contract and decentralised applications (dApps) development, the high costs and slow speeds have made many of Ethereum’s competitors a much more attractive proposition. However, the general feeling is that the launch of Ethereum 2.0 will solve these issues and then significant building on the platform can begin in earnest.

Ethereum is thought of as the ‘home’ of DeFi with many of the industry’s latest finance protocols using Ethereum as their basis for their application. The same goes for the world of NFTs with many projects using the ERC-20 token to mint and launch their latest creations.

Both factors show the use of the Ethereum network is already strong and grew at an exponential rate throughout 2022.

The real question around the dinner table this Christmas is what impact will lower fees and faster speeds have on an already massively popular and trusted network? And what impact will this have on the Ethereum price.

Will it be turkey curry for days or can we afford something a little more extravagant in 2022? Only time will tell.


Ethereum Latest News: Showing Strength

Recent developments to the [Ethereum](/coins/eth) blockchain have finally made Ethereum a deflationary token.

Throughout 2021, Ethereum has been transitioning from a Proof of Work to a Proof of Stake consensus driven network. While this process has taken a considerable amount of time, the deflationary nature of Ethereum has finally come to pass.

## EIP-1559

Under the terms of the Ethereum Improvement Protocol (EIP 1559), every Ethereum transaction, from its August 2021 release forward, consisted of a percentage burn of the final transaction as the network transitioned toward the Proof of Stake model.

Now, for the first time since the upgrade, Ethereum is officially a deflationary token as more Ethereum is being burnt than generated, which will lead to its scarcity and an increase in its future value.

While this may sound like a cause for celebration, many original Ethereum miners are less than happy with the upgrade due to the loss of fee revenue which is associated with a mining and Proof of Work consensus model.

## Staking

As part of the new Proof of Stake model holders of Ethereum are able to loan their tokens back to the network to be used as a stake in order to generate passive income. The current going rate for staking Ethereum on the new network is around 4% per annum.

To date over 8.3 million Ethereum worth $34 billion have been staked and therefore locked up in contracts and taken off the open market. Together with the deflationary burn model the scarcity of Ethereum has seen the price of the token rise from $736 at the start of the year to $ 4200 today.  
  
Now that Ethereum is officially in deflationary status this value will automatically increase with every transaction. And with the merge to the official Ethereum 2.0 main net chalked for Spring 2022 many market commentators are expecting the price of Ethereum to witness a major surge through 2022.

## The last mile

Final testing is due to start in December and developers are focussing on this last mile of what has been a long and arduous process. According to a leading crypto exchange ‘Protocol Specialist’ Viktor Bunin the net issuance of Ethereum has reduced by 66% since the launch of EIP-1559 and as validators continue to replace miners the numbers will only increase.


Ethereum Price Becomes Deflationary

What can we expect from the Ethereum price prediction for 2022?

[Ethereum ETH](/coins/eth) holders have enjoyed a rollercoaster year, to say the least.

The prized crypto asset commenced the year at less than $800 apiece, rose to over $4,300 (its all-time high at the time) in May, fell to less than $1,900 in July following China’s crypto ban and broke its all-time high in October, after the launch of a ProShares futures-based Bitcoin ETF product (BITO).

The Valkyrie futures-based Bitcoin ETF was launched within a week of BITO’s approval. To put it into perspective, Ethereum has grown 956,745.2% in roughly six yearsof the crypto market! Ethereum will be the next crypto asset to surpass $10,000 in valuation. The question is, will the crypto token cross $10k in 2022? I believe so.

## What does 2022 hold in store for Ethereum?

2022 will be a HUGE year for Ethereum enthusiasts. While I understand the hype surrounding bitcoin breaking its all-time high this month, Ethereum is set to the top three crypto asset which will have the best time in 2022. Yes, bitcoin will breach the $100,000 barrier, but the launch of Ethereum 2.0 is what the world should be excited about.

Ethereum 2.0 will enhance the network’s transaction processing speed considerably, from a miserly 15 transactions per second (TPS) to an enormous 100,000 TPS, thanks to sharding technology and a transition from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS). This will place Ethereum network as the fastest blockchain in the world, followed by Solana at 50,000 TPS.

Other benefits of Ethereum 2.0 include greater security and sustainability. The transition to ETH 2.0 will solve many existing problems and may lead to the wide-scale adoption of the crypto asset.

I believe that Ethereum will not only cross $10,000 in 2022 but also reach $15,000 (potentially). I will not be surprised if El Salvador, or any other country for that matter, adopts Ethereum as a legal tender next year.


 Ethereum Price Prediction in 2022

All eyes were on Ethereum today as the world second largest cryptocurrency made a push for a new all time high.

At time of press, Ethereum was trading hands for $3,782 a 24 hour rise of just 1.28%. Compared to other crypto gains this may sound small but the price of Ethereum has a solid floor and has been a consistent performer lately gaining 11% in the last month and 102% in the last quarter alone.

Ethereum hit an all time price high in May of this year when it topped out at $4,170 before falling over 100% to $1,787 at the end of July. Since then there has been a steady increase week on week to the price we see today.

## EIP-1559

One of the catalysts for this strong and stable growth was the much anticipated Ethereum Improvement Protocol upgrade (EIP-1559) which saw Ethereum begin the transfer to a more efficient, cheaper and greener Proof of Stake mechanism rather than the outdated Proof of Work model it has been using.

The transfer to the new system is anticipated to take another 6 months to fully complete however as each project milestone falls investor confidence continues to increase. This was evident in the last 24 hours as $1.348 billion worth of Ethereum was transferred in 15 huge transactions. Although impossible to identify who was moving and where the Ethereum was going these colossal sums go some way to highlight the massive amount of money involved in the Ethereum network.

## Alternative future investments

With many traditional investors beginning to question the validity of gold and silver, Bitcoin and Ethereum and beginning to be seen as strong alternative investments. Furthermore, Ethereum has more appeal than Bitcoin due to the ever increasing eco-system being built on top of the world largest smart contract network.

As we transgress through Q4, many people believe we are on the cusp of seeing massive institutional investment into cryptocurrency and digital assets due to their cost and time savings.

With the market poised and more network upgrades scheduled for the next couple of months allowing for further utility, Ethereum certainly looks as if it could have a very interesting future indeed.

Ethereum USD closes in on ATH. What happens next?

Ethereum is the heir apparent to the cryptocurrency throne. [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) is the king of cryptocurrencies and will continue to capture the interest of all crypto market investor classes for several years. 

El Salvador became the first country to accept Bitcoin as legal tender in early September 2021. The country hopes to utilise Bitcoin as a mode to facilitate cross-country payments and save millions in fees levied by financial institutions. Several businesses have included Bitcoin as a payment option globally. That said, Bitcoin has no real applications – any cryptocurrency can be used to suffice the mentioned purposes and in fact, most will fare better. Based on this recent enthusiasm, here is my Ethereum price forecast. 

## Popular cryptocurrency transaction speeds compared

To put it into perspective, Bitcoin can process up to 7 transactions per second (TPS). Neo on the other hand can process up to 10,000 TPS and Ripple can support 1,500 TPS. While Ethereum can only handle up to 15 TPS at the moment, Ethereum 2.0 is the answer – Ethereum 2.0 promises up to 100,000 TPS!

## Why Ethereum and Ethereum 2.0, in particular, is the real deal

The rollout of Ethereum 2.0 not only promises quicker transaction speeds than are currently available but also a plethora of other improvements to the Ethereum blockchain. Ethereum serves a variety of use cases already which makes it the most important crypto asset in the crypto sphere. The key benefits of Ethereum 2.0 include:

*   A switch from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) for quicker transactions and lower fees.
*   Ethereum holders will be able to earn rewards from staking.
*   The implementation of sharding for higher TPS.
*   More practical for average users. 

We must accredit Bitcoin as the pioneer of the crypto industry and the most important component in the worldwide acceptance of cryptocurrencies but Ethereum is the crypto asset of the present and the future. With it;s 2.0 update, fast smart contracts functionality and switch to a proof of stake - Ethereum's future looks bright indeed.

Ethereum Prediction: Prince of Cryptocurrencies

In an effort to be ‘maximally compliant with regulatory requirements’ the world’s second largest [Ethereum](/coins/eth) mining pool announced today that all operations are to halt at the end of the month.

Hangzhou based SparkPool released the information yesterday confirming all activities were to cease by Thursday 30th September.

This announcement closely follows Friday’s decision that all new users were banned from registering with SparkPool with immediate effect.

## SparkPool Contribute 22% of Hash Rate

Since its inception in 2016, SparkPool has evolved to become the world’s second largest Ethereum  mining operation by hash rate closely behind industry behemoth Ethermine. SparkPool currently contribute 22% of the entire Ethereum blockchain hash rate with a whopping 142 terra-hash per second.

SparkPool’s announcement follows a call from the State Council of China in May this year for local authorities to crack down on crypto mining activities and, while this had been somewhat of a success, a number of stealth mining operations have been slowly resuming work over the last few months.

## China's Decision May Have an Impact

Many people believe the announcement was heavily influenced by the Chinese Central Government’s recent decision to declare all crypto related activity illegal with immediate effect (Thursday 23rd September).

Following the initial country wide clampdown in May this year, Bitcoin miners Poolin and BIT Mining have been looking for new premises and had ear marked North America and Central Asia as possible new sites.

While SparkPool could also have circumnavigated the ban by taking their mining operation overseas they evidently have chosen not to.

Global mining outfit, Huobi, declared on Sunday September 26th that all China based users will be unable to access their services by the end of the year.

The news did not come as a huge surprise to many industry leaders as China continue to crackdown on the cryptocurrency eco-system within the country. Consequently, SparkPool seem to have made the decision with the purpose of protecting client assets.  
  
The impact on Ethereum network performance and price is yet to be seen.

Many proponents view the China ban as bullish for crypto as pushback from China has historically been good for the rest of the Western world. In 2009, China banned Facebook and YouTube from its shores closely followed Google and Wikipedia. All went on to see massive success in other markets.  
  
SparkPool have not released any further information regarding their future plans at this point however given Ethereum’s continued port to a Proof of Stake non-mining mechanism SparkPool’s decision may be rather telling.



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