Ethereum
After bitcoin, digital currency ether is the second most widespread cryptocurrency. However, Ethereum – the blockchain platform that supports ether transactions – has a few technological advantages over the market leader. Whereas practically the only use for bitcoin is in monetary transactions, Ethereum offers the additional option of linking the transactions to contractual conditions in what are known as smart contracts. These are small computer programs that are executed when the relevant monetary transaction has been concluded or, conversely, that trigger a monetary transaction or data delivery once they have been executed.