On July 30, 2025, Ethereum will celebrate its tenth anniversary. Over the past decade, Ethereum has gone through many significant events that have shaped its current position. Let's take a look back at this journey filled with challenges and achievements.

The story of Ethereum began in 2013 when Vitalik Buterin proposed this revolutionary concept. In his white paper, he acknowledged the importance of Bitcoin, but his vision was grander—he hoped to expand blockchain technology into a more comprehensive distributed consensus tool.

In 2014, Buterin formed a team with Gavin Wood, Charles Hoskinson, Anthony Di Iorio, and Joseph Lubin to begin the practical development of Ethereum. From July 22 to September 2 of the same year, Ethereum conducted its first token sale, where investors could purchase Ether using Bitcoin, with each Bitcoin being able to exchange for 2000 Ether.

On July 30, 2015, the Ethereum mainnet officially launched, marking the entry of this ambitious project into the operational phase. Since then, Ethereum has undergone several major upgrades, including Constantinople, Istanbul, and the recently highly anticipated 'Merge' upgrade, which transitioned the network from a Proof of Work (PoW) mechanism to a Proof of Stake (PoS) mechanism.

Over time, Ethereum has not only become an important player in the cryptocurrency space but has also driven the vigorous development of smart contracts, decentralized applications (DApp), and decentralized finance (DeFi). It has provided the infrastructure for countless innovative projects and propelled the advancement of the entire blockchain ecosystem.

Looking to the future, Ethereum faces many challenges and opportunities. Scalability issues, uncertainties in the regulatory environment, and competition with other smart contract platforms will all impact its future development. However, considering its strong developer community and ongoing technological innovations, Ethereum is still expected to maintain its leading position in the blockchain world.

The ten years of development have witnessed Ethereum grow from an idea into a world-changing technology. Although there are still many unknowns in the future, Ethereum has already proven its resilience and adaptability. As blockchain technology continues to evolve, Ethereum will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of this emerging industry.