Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market value, has passed its penultimate test before its Merge update. It will reportedly make it more environmentally friendly and competitive with Bitcoin, even as MLB teams apply to get a share of the sponsorships by the same coin. People frequently assert that cryptocurrencies are detrimental to the environment. According to the Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index developed by the University of Cambridge, bitcoin mining consumes more electricity annually than in Belgium. The issue is that processing and validating transactions of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and Ethereum’s Ether on blockchains needs specialized, energy-intensive processors. This is referred to as “proof-of-work mining” and is an energy-intensive technique. Vitalik Buterin, a 21-year-old prodigy who founded Ethereum in 2015, will transition from proof-of-work mining to proof-of-stake mining, which does not require powerful computers. According to the Ethereum Foundation, a research organization that oversees upgrades and enhancements to the Ethereum blockchain, the switch will reduce the network’s energy consumption by 99.5%. The Merge After the Merge event, ether mining and production processes will be altered. The modification should make the crypto space greener and more secure. The blockchain, the foundation of the second-largest cryptocurrency in the world, will receive a significant update in August...
