Ethereum’s transition to a proof-of-stake network, known as “the Merge,” was a major event in the crypto markets last year. The next major upgrade, known as the “Shanghai hard fork,” is set to take place in March and will allow participants to unlock ether (ETH) they had staked on the blockchain, which has been inaccessible for months. The impact of this upgrade on the market is uncertain, with some traders concerned about the blockchain’s current low staking ratio compared to other proof-of-stake blockchains. Some experts predict a short-term drop in the price of ETH before and after the upgrade due to increased supply, but believe that it will recover rapidly and that the upgrade will lay the foundation for further scaling upgrades, which would be positive for Ethereum. Some see Ethereum as a kind of crypto index, with a presence in various areas of blockchain technology including bitcoin, stablecoins, NFTs, and DeFi.
