Five years ago, the Ethereum genesis block marked the official launch of the network.
Today, most community members spend their time thinking about all the work that remains to be done, but it’s also important to recognize on this fifth anniversary of the launch of Ethereum how incredibly far we’ve all come, what a wild ride every turn. and back it has been, and how much we have all grown (and technology).
There were times when some expected that the protocol would just run as intended, or that developers might try to release the first apps, that users would want to try those apps out, or that someone might one day use Ethereum to create a real, positive impact.
So while the focus will remain on all that remains to be done, it would have been hard five years ago to imagine all the thinkers, doers, students, governments, businesses, and other innovators making real, impactful change using Ethereum today. The same goes for all the unexpected bumps, forks, awesome meetups/events, memes, and passionate debates seen along the way; None of us in this community would be where we are today if it weren’t for those “unexpected” moments 😉.
Everyone who makes up the Ethereum ecosystem once expected the first contracts to come online. Today there are millions! And we’ve long since lost count of the number of apps that are now unmapped stars for us. It’s hard for the most dedicated supporters to keep track of even the protocol-level innovations that are taking place.
In these five years, Ethereum has grown beyond any one builder, team, or organization, but we hope you are as inspired as ever to continue working together to help Ethereum become everything we all dream it to be and more. 🦄
—
Ethereum Foundation Team
