Both Bitcoin and Ethereum are increasingly embraced by institutional investors and supported by new exchange-traded funds, which could further boost their prices.

Ethereum transitioned from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake in 2022, eliminating mining and enabling coins to be staked for rewards, supporting smart contracts, decentralized apps, and NFTs, with its supply fluctuating based on network activity.

As the two most valuable cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin and Ethereum have turned early investors into millionaires, with Bitcoin’s first trade in 2010 now worth around $40 billion from a $1,000 investment, and Ethereum’s first trade in 2015 valued at nearly $6 million.

Bitcoin could gain further momentum as a hedge against inflation and a mainstream payment method, especially as more companies, countries, and institutions adopt it.

Ethereum faces competition from other blockchain platforms but plans to improve scalability and reduce fees through upcoming upgrades like The Verge, The Purge, and The Splurge.

Experts such as Cathie Wood forecast significant future price increases for both cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin potentially reaching $2.4 million and Ethereum over $166,000 by the early 2030s.

Looking ahead, Ethereum might outshine Bitcoin as a potential millionaire-maker due to its lower market cap, upcoming network upgrades, and rapid growth in the decentralized application ecosystem, though both cryptocurrencies are poised for substantial returns.

Bitcoin operates on an energy-intensive proof-of-work system with a fixed supply of 21 million coins, of which about 19.9 million have already been mined, making it a scarce asset often compared to precious metals.