---
title: "Want to Learn More About Ethereum? Ethereum Co-Founder Explains His Cryptocurrency"
description: "Speaking last week at TechCrunch's Disrupt 2017 in San Francisco, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin described what his blockchain does in his own words."
date: "2017-09-25"
modified: "2017-09-25"
authors:
  - name: "Dom Galeon"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/domgaleon"
url: "https://futurism.com/want-to-learn-more-about-ethereum-ethereum-co-founder-explains-his-cryptocurrency"
categories:
  - "Blockchain"
  - "Cryptocurrency"
  - "Ethereum"
  - "Future Society"
tags:
  - "blockchain"
  - "cryptocurrency"
  - "disrupt sf 2017"
  - "ethereum"
---

# Want to Learn More About Ethereum? Ethereum Co-Founder Explains His Cryptocurrency

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/etheree-1-1122x800.png>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://entethalliance.org/enterprise-ethereum-alliance-becomes-worlds-largest-open-source-blockchain-initiative/" target="\_blank"\>entethalliance\</a\>\</em\>*

[Etherum](<https://www.ethereum.org/>) co-founder Vitalik Buterin was one of the key speakers at this year's [TechCrunch Disrupt](<https://techcrunch.com/event-info/disrupt-sf-2017/>), which was held last week in San Francisco. Asked to explain what Ethereum is to the average user, Buterin defined a blockchain from the perspective of those who understand its current most popular use — in cryptocurrencies, specifically Bitcoin.

Buterin said that a blockchain can keep track of how much money a person has at any given time — or what he calls "cryptoeconomics." But, while that's the initial use of a blockchain, Buterin and his colleagues have found that such a decentralized system of keeping tabs on transaction records can extend to a far wider range of applications. He calls this "general purpose watching," and it's at the heart of what Ethereum is.

"The core idea behind Ethereum is: you can have a general purpose watching," Buterin told the audience at Disrupt SF. "We can have a blockchain where instead of a blockchain working like a Swiss army knife where you have five different tools for five different categories of applications, you have a blockchain that understands general-purpose programming language."

.[@VitalikButerin](<https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin>) explains Ethereum in his own words [#TCDisrupt](<https://twitter.com/hashtag/TCDisrupt?src=hash>) [pic.twitter.com/oFOuYfTNWg](<https://t.co/oFOuYfTNWg>)

— TechCrunch (@TechCrunch) [September 18, 2017](<https://twitter.com/TechCrunch/status/909854388931280896>)

Indeed, Ethereum is considered to be the world's [foremost enterprise blockchain](<https://futurism.com/more-than-150-organizations-are-working-together-to-support-the-growth-of-ethereum>), with applications that extend beyond just cryptocurrencies. Ethereum has found use in manufacturing, shipping, and even in the music industry. Ethereum's applications continue to expand, including the possibility of [replacing credit card companies](<https://futurism.com/ceo-ethereum-could-challenge-credit-card-companies-in-a-couple-of-years>), a mass adoption that could disrupt many of today's industries.

*Disclosure: Several members of the Futurism team, including the editors of this piece, are personal investors in a number of cryptocurrency markets. Their personal investment perspectives have no impact on editorial content.*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-john-galeon-9b086925/>)  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/domgaleon>)