If you haven't been keeping tabs on the cryptocurrency market, you might be shocked to see many coins trading at or near all-time highs. After a brutal crypto winter, the market is once again preparing for a bull run in typical cyclical fashion.

However, not all cryptocurrencies have benefited equally from the market's resurgence. As it stands, Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) remains more than 20% off its all-time high, presenting a compelling opportunity for investors. Here's why Ethereum is the cryptocurrency I'm buying with $1,000 today.

The undisputed DeFi leader

One of the most prominent uses for cryptocurrencies is decentralized finance, or DeFi. It's a burgeoning sector worth over $95 billion today that aims to re-create traditional financial services -- such as lending, borrowing, trading, and investing -- in a decentralized manner.

Unlike traditional financial systems that rely on centralized institutions like banks or brokerages to facilitate transactions and manage assets, DeFi operates on blockchain networks like Ethereum and leverages smart contracts to automate processes and eliminate intermediaries.

While several blockchains make up the DeFi economy, Ethereum's stranglehold on the market remains firm. Roughly 60% of the total value of DeFi calls Ethereum home. The next closest competitor is Tron, with a measly 10%.

There are likely several reasons that could explain Ethereum's disproportionate value. Most apparent is that it was the first blockchain to offer smart-contract functionality, thereby being the only option for developers and users in DeFi's early years.

Also, Ethereum has established a strong track record of reliability over the last decade. As a result, it has emerged as the go-to platform for developers looking to build new DeFi projects.

With the overwhelming majority of DeFi's value tied to Ethereum, an opportunity arises. DeFi represents one of the most influential and disruptive uses for cryptocurrencies and will likely see its value increase with time. As such, Ethereum is the most straightforward way to gain exposure to DeFi's burgeoning potential.

How Ethereum is widening the gap

Without diving into the data, the chatter on discussion forums and across the internet would make it appear that competition in the DeFi space is greater than it actually is and that Ethereum's dominance is threatened. While the field is more crowded than it was just a few years ago, these hopeful blockchains face an increasingly difficult task of trying to unseat Ethereum, especially when considering that it is growing more capable by the year.

No blockchain is perfect. Ethereum has known limitations in the form of speed and high transaction fees when network traffic is congested. But its core developers constantly look for ways to improve its performance.

Every year or so, Ethereum gets an update. In the same way your smartphone receives an operating system update, these upgrades introduce new functionality and optimization.

One of these just occurred and is a prime example of how future upgrades hold the potential to widen the gap separating Ethereum from its competitors and help it reach its goal of becoming powerful enough to benefit all of humanity.

Launched on March 13, the Dencun upgrade unveiled new features that made fees on Layer 2 blockchains built atop Ethereum much cheaper. Naturally, there has been an explosion in Layer 2 chains within the Ethereum ecosystem. It's likely just a sign of things to come, and it seems that all roads will eventually lead back to Ethereum, no matter how many new blockchains claim to be a "competitor."

With momentum across crypto continuing to build, and Ethereum's price still well below its all-time high, a lucrative opportunity comes into focus. Its domination of DeFi, a fresh upgrade, and the cyclical pattern of cryptocurrencies surpassing previous all-time highs all make Ethereum a worthy investment at today's prices.

Should you invest $1,000 in Ethereum right now?

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RJ Fulton has positions in Ethereum. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Ethereum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Ultimate Cryptocurrency to Buy With $1,000 was originally published by The Motley Fool