What is Ether?

As we explored in "What is Ethereum?", ethereum aims to function both as a kind of decentralized internet and a decentralized app store, supporting a new type of application (a "dapp") in the process.

But while no one owns ethereum, the system that supports this functionality isn't free. Rather, the network needs 'ether', a unique piece of code that can be used to pay for the computational resources needed to run an application or program.

Like bitcoin, ether is a digital bearer asset (similar to a security, like a bond, issued in physical form). Just like cash, it doesn't require a third party to process or approve a transaction.

But instead of operating as a digital currency or payment, ether seeks to provide "fuel" for the decentralized apps on the network.

While this might sound complicated, you can think of a more concrete example of how tokens might power a user experience.

Let's go back to the example of a decentralized online notebook. To post, delete or modify a note, you need to pay a transaction fee in ether to get the network to process the change.

In this way, 'ether' has sometimes been called 'digital oil', and taking this analogy further, ethereum transaction fees are calculated based on how much 'gas' the action requires.

Each action costs an amount of gas that's based on the computational power required and how long it takes to run. A transaction costs 500 gas, for example, which is paid in ether.

As an economic system, the rules for ether's economy are a bit open-ended. While bitcoin has a hard cap of 21 million bitcoins, ether does not have a similar limit.

Of the ether that does exist, 60m was purchased by users in a 2014 crowdfunding campaign.

Another 12m ether went to the Ethereum Foundation, a group of researchers and developers working on the underlying technology. Every 12 seconds, 5 ethers (ETH) are also allotted to the miners that verify transactions on the network.

Eighteen million ether, at most, are mined per year. Five ether are created roughly every 12 seconds, whenever a miner discovers a block, or a bundle of transactions.

So, no one knows the total number of ether yet, and the pace of ether creation will be less clear after 2017 when ethereum plans to move to a new proof-of-stake consensus algorithm.

This will probably lead to a change in the rules of ether creation, and thus the mining subsidy might decrease.

Authored by Alyssa Hertig; Coindesk

NEXT: HOW TO USE ETHEREUM

INDEX: A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO BITCOIN AND BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY



What is Bitcoin?
It’s a decentralized digital currency


Why Use Bitcoin?
It’s fast, cheap to use, and secure


How Can I Buy Bitcoin?
From an exchange or an individual


How to Buy Bitcoin in the UK
Buying bitcoin in the UK


How to Store Your Bitcoin
Use a digital or paper wallet


What Can You Buy with Bitcoin?
Spend your bitcoins


How to Sell Bitcoin
A guide on how to sell your bitcoins


How to Accept Bitcoin Payments for Your Store
Learn about bitcoin POS systems


How do Bitcoin Transactions Work?
Bitcoin addresses and private keys


Is Bitcoin Legal?
The current regulation around bitcoin


Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
The founder of bitcoin


How Bitcoin Mining Works
By confirming transactions


How to Set Up a Bitcoin Miner
Generate bitcoins yourself


What are Bitcoin Mining Pools?
What are pools how and how to join them?


How Does Cloud Mining Bitcoin Work?
Alternative bitcoin mining solutions


How to Calculate Mining Profitability
Can you make a ROI?


How to Make a Paper Bitcoin Wallet
Creating an unhackable bitcoin wallet


Can Bitcoin Scale?
A look at the debate and the tech


What is SegWit?
A new way of storing transaction data


What is the Lightning Network?
Off-chain transaction channels


What is Bitcoin Cash?
Same blockchain, different characteristics.


Hard Fork vs Soft Fork
Why and how do blockchains split?


What is the Difference Between Litecoin and Bitcoin?
It’s the silver to bitcoin’s gold


How to Buy Litecoin
How to buy the bitcoin alternative litecoin


How to Mine Litecoin and other Altcoins
How to generate your own altcoins


Understanding Bitcoin Price Charts
A primer on bitcoin price charts


Bitcoin E-Commerce Services for Merchants
How to accept bitcoin at your business


What is Blockchain Technology?
A system of distributed data and logic


How Does Blockchain Technology Work?
Cryptographic keys, distributed networks and network servicing protocols


What Can a Blockchain Do?
Identity, recordkeeping, smart contracts and more


What is a Distributed Ledger?
A dynamic, independently maintained database


What is the Difference Between Public and Permissioned Blockchains?
Can anyone read or write to the ledger?


What is the Difference Between a Blockchain and a Database?
It begins with architectural and administrative decisions


What Are the Applications and Use Cases of Blockchains?
Tokenization, auditing, governance, settlement and more


How Could Blockchain Technology Change Finance?
Cross-border payments, new asset classes, regulatory compliance and more


What are Blockchain’s Issues and Limitations?
Complexity, size, costs, speed, security, politics and more


Why Use a Blockchain?
To manage and secure digital relationships as part of a system of record


What is Ethereum?
A blockchain application platform and ‘world computer’


What is Ether?
The ‘fuel’ of the ethereum network


How to Use Ethereum
Wallets, trading and ‘dapps’


Who Created Ethereum?
Vitalik Buterin


How Ethereum Mining Works
‘Proof of Work’ and ‘Proof of Stake’


How to Mine Ethereum
GPUs, mining software and pools


How Ethereum Works
‘Turing-complete’ programming, ‘state’ and the ‘EVM’


What is a Decentralized Application?
A distributed ‘smart contract’ system


What is a DAO?
A ‘decentralized autonomous organization’


How Do Ethereum Smart Contracts Work?
Code, transaction fees and ‘gas’


How Will Ethereum Scale?
‘Sharding’ and ‘off-chain’ transactions


What is an ICO?
Initial Coin Offerings refer to the distribution of digital tokens.

Read the full article