Tuesday, July 30, 2024, marks the ninth birthday of Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain by market capitalization, according to a post by network co-creator Vitalik Buterin. 

“Happy 9th birthday, Ethereum,” Buterin wrote on social media platform X, celebrating what is also known as “Launch Day.” “Looking forward to seeing what the next decade brings.”

Blockchains traditionally have two founding dates — the day the whitepaper is published and the day the network is officially launched — which can often make celebrating anniversaries controversial. This process is made all the more complex if a network, like Ethereum, is funded by an initial coin offering, which would represent the date the native token went live.

“Today is definitively Ethereum’s actual birthday. It is the day …