Introducing Ethereum

Abstract

This chapter provides a general overview of Ethereum as a world computer. It provides a snapshot of Ethereum that emphasises the core technologies of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and Ethereum&s;s blockchain, called the Beacon Chain. It then turns to the characteristics of technical decentralisation that a blockchain enables before turning to the broader topic of political decentralisation. It concludes with a brief overview of the core applications to be found in the Ethereum ecosystem.