> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.421.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ethereum, the Marvelous Machine - URL: https://www.421.news/en/ethereum-the-marvelous-machine/ - Published: 2021-01-22T21:38:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-16T04:41:13.000Z - Description: The network and its "decentralized computer" have its cryptocurrency at all-time highs. - Author: Juan Ruocco 🧙‍♂️ - Tags: #en, tech, crypto, #ensayo The hype train has just arrived at **Ethereum** station and nobody wants to be left behind. The Ethereum network is a **cool cousin of Bitcoin**, and its cryptocurrency **Ether (or ETH)** is in a full bull cycle. In December it had already made a **strong jump in its price** and reached 600 dollars per unit, but **this week it hit 1,435 dollars**, surpassing its previous all-time high, reached in 2018, by 15 dollars. **Ethereum, while similar to Bitcoin, has several differences worth highlighting**. ETH is divisible up to 18 decimal places, so you can acquire as little as 0.000000000000000001 ETH (with BTC, on the other hand, you can only operate up to 8 decimals). On the other hand, **Ethereum is not just a blockchain-based crypto network**, but functions as a **decentralized computer in "the cloud"**. Ethereum has the ability to **execute computer programs** (combining all the computing power of the nodes in its network) **in exchange for a payment**. Additionally, Ethereum's code allows the execution of a type of software called **smart contracts**, which, being written on a blockchain, turn out to be **immutable computer programs** that always execute in the same way. Something like soda vending machines, which are automatic systems **that upon an input signal** (inserting money) **respond with an output signal** (dispensing a can). In this way, Ethereum quickly became **a great tool for building things** using smart contracts. This allowed, for example, the simple creation of **new cryptocurrencies, digital collectibles, video games**, and a whole new universe of **decentralized finance** based on this type of programs, known as **DeFi**. Another of the most significant use cases for Ethereum are **stablecoins**, whose value is maintained in a **one-to-one parity with the US dollar**. Furthermore, they have none of the currency exchange restrictions of the American dollar. **DAI and USDC** are the best known and most used in Argentina, and our country stands out for playing a leading role in the Ethereum community. While **Bitcoin is the most widely used cryptocurrency** and its name already represents a brand in itself, **Ethereum has become the most attractive space for developers**, since it has its **own language (Solidity)** and is an accessible platform for easily creating new applications. On the other hand, Bitcoin and Ethereum differ in the number of available units. While **Bitcoin has an issuance cap** set at 21 million units, **Ethereum has no pre-established limit**. At the time this article was published, the total exceeded **114 million units**. For Bitcoin advocates, this is problematic since there would be **no substantial difference between Ether and fiat money**, that is, money controlled by governments and issued according to the needs of the moment. ## So many rigs I have You only need to walk around the Galerías Jardín, located on Florida Street (the most famous pedestrian street in the heart of Buenos Aires) to come across a considerable number of **people going from shop to shop asking about GPU prices**. Many are there for video games, but others for **Ethereum mining** which, at these prices, has once again become **a very profitable investment**. It turns out that, unlike Bitcoin, **Ethereum can still be mined with regular off-the-shelf graphics cards**, known as GPUs (short for *graphics processing unit*). "**At this price, you recover your dollar investment in five months**," says an industry source who prefers to remain anonymous, while going from shop to shop haggling over GPU prices as if they were carpets in some Middle Eastern bazaar. ## Buying Ether in Argentina As we previously explained with Bitcoin, buying Ethereum does not require any special science, just **opening an account on a trading platform** (Binance, Satoshi Tango, Ripio), completing a **brief data verification process**, and then **depositing pesos to start trading**. Selling works the same way: you sell directly to the platform in exchange for pesos. After buying, if the idea is to **hold those ETH or use them to invest in DeFi**, the most recommended approach is to remove them from the platforms and **send them to your own wallet**, such as Metamask, an Ethereum wallet compatible with all coins and tokens that use this technology, featuring a **simple interface** that can be installed as a **web browser extension** (Chrome, Firefox, Brave) or downloaded to your phone. Also, for those who prefer a 100% off-the-books option so their transactions are not recorded on any platform, they can find refuge with the **increasingly numerous crypto street dealers**. Whether for Bitcoin or Ethereum, **the crypto summer is in full swing in Buenos Aires**. --- *This article was originally published in* [***Página/12***](https://www.pagina12.com.ar/319101-ethereum-la-maquina-maravillosa?ref=421.news)*. It is reproduced here with the author's permission.*