Ethereum at 10: Here’s How Far Biggest Smart Contract Platform Has Come

In recent Ethereum news, the biggest smart contract platform is marking its 10th anniversary today.

In light of this milestone, key figures from the Ethereum Foundation have shared how far the project has come.

Notably, the insiders shared how it is being used today in regions like Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia.

From an Unlikely Start to Global Use

Ethereum turned 10 today, July 30. The blockchain, launched in 2015, has grown from a small idea into the top platform for smart contracts.

It is worth mentioning that the project now supports many tools, apps, and programs used around the world.

Aya Miyaguchi, President of the Ethereum Foundation, said the protocol’s early days were not easy.

She recalled a time when a developer called it “just another s***coin.” Back then, it was seen as a risky and unclear project.

Over time, Ethereum began to attract more people. At Devcon Prague, Miyaguchi said she helped invite new voices into the space.

Guests included Stewart Brand and Brewster Kahle, who had worked on open digital systems before Ethereum even began.

According to her, their ideas helped the community think beyond software and focus on long-term plans.

One major step was the UNICEF Crypto Fund. Miyaguchi said she was unsure at first if a group like the United Nations could use crypto.

However, Chris Fabian, who led the work, showed how it could be done. After much planning, the project launched at Devcon Osaka in 2019.

In the post on X, Miyaguchi mentioned that for her, it was not just about technology; it showed how slow-moving systems could try something new.

Miyaguchi also spoke about her 2022 visit to Latin America. In Argentina, she saw how Ethereum could be used for local projects in poor areas.

She visited Barrio 31 in Buenos Aires and talked with builders who wanted to include more people in future digital systems.

More importantly, she also noted the high number of women leading efforts there.

Ethereum News: Africa Joins the Ethereum Movement

Interestingly, Africa, once seen by some as too far behind to care about blockchain values, is now playing a key role in the Ethereum ecosystem.

Miyaguchi said that the idea changed after her talks with local developers like Awosika Ayodeji in 2020.

She later joined a trip with Yoseph Ayele, where she met people using Ethereum in new ways.

Notably, local groups like Borderless Africa, Web3Bridge, ETHAccra, and Builders Connect were working on projects in Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia.

These programs were using Ethereum to support learning, finance, and digital ID systems.

Miyaguchi said Ethereum’s ideas were not only relevant in Africa but were also helping shape better tools for the future.

What Comes Next?

In a recent Ethereum news update, Hsiao Wei Wang, Co-Executive Director of the Ethereum Foundation, also shared thoughts on the 10-year milestone.

She said Ethereum has become a global system, but the goal is to stay true to its roots, being open, secure, and free to use.

In her post on X, Wang explained that the next steps would need to be balanced.

She pointed to key areas, such as keeping the network stable while allowing faster upgrades, or improving privacy without raising costs.

She said no one group could lead Ethereum forward. The strength of the network would depend on how people across the world keep building and sharing ideas.

According to her, Ethereum was already being used in Southeast Asia for things like public records and funding shared tools. She believed this could grow in the next ten years.

If anything, Ethereum’s tenth year showed how far it had come from its early days. From major groups like UNICEF to builders in Africa and South America, the network was being used in many different ways.

It is important to add that as the next phase begins, its success may depend on keeping the system open and valuable to all.

While the network continued to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the price of Ethereum was trading at $3,778.68. Its market cap, since turning 10, stood at $456.83 billion.