2021 has proven to be a fortuitous year for the world’s second-biggest cryptocurrency Ether (ETHThe value of the ) has increased fourfold in 12 months.

By capitalizing more of the cryptocurrency market, Ether has been able to outperform the appreciation of its preeminent. While the wider cryptocurrency markets have enjoyed a year of relative gains, ETH’s increase in value has been in tandem with upgrades to Ethereum’s core protocol, laying down the final pillars for its transition to a proof-of-stake consensus protocol in 2022.