Ethereum Turns 10: Experts Say ETH Could Hit $40,000 in Next Decade as Network Matures
The post Ethereum Turns 10: Experts Say ETH Could Hit $40,000 in Next Decade as Network Matures appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
A decade after its launch, Ethereum has become the backbone of DeFi and Web3. Ethereum officially turned 10 on Wednesday, marking a decade since its mainnet launch on July 30, 2015. Although its native token, Ether (ETH), has struggled to maintain momentum over the past five years, experts say its long-term outlook is improving. Originally proposed in a 2013 white paper by programmer Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum introduced the concept of smart contracts, or self-executing code deployed on decentralized networks. The blockchain also paved the way for decentralized applications (dApps) and helped enable the emergence of decentralized finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). Currently, Ethereum is the world’s largest blockchain by total value locked (TVL) in DeFi, holding nearly $84 billion of DeFi’s $140 billion TVL, per DeFiLlama. In terms of valuation, ETH is only second to Bitcoin (BTC) – with ETH currently trading at around $3,800 with a market cap of $459 billion, compared to Bitcoin’s $2.3 trillion, according to CoinGecko. Ethereum DeFi TVL What initially began as a research project has grown into the leading platform for much of the crypto space. And now, as Ethereum turns 10, industry experts are reflecting on its influence, which goes beyond being just a blockchain – to many, Ethereum has laid the foundation of today’s Web3 landscape. ‘Computer for computers’ Ignacio Palomera, CEO of Bondex, explained in comments shared with The Defiant that when Ethereum first emerged in 2015, its narrative often centered around its potential as a blockchain to be built on. “Ten years later, Ethereum has more than served that purpose; it has drafted the playbook for anyone who wants to build a truly interoperable and decentralized ecosystem – a legacy and lasting impact far grander than initially anticipated,” he said. Palomera also emphasized that it…
Filed under: News - @ July 31, 2025 8:29 am