Why Ethereum Became the Platform for Smart Contracts?

Ethereum quickly gained popularity due to its innovative architecture, which allows developers to create decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts. Unlike Bitcoin, which is designed solely for digital asset exchange, Ethereum provides a versatile platform with its own programmable virtual machine (EVM). This opens up limitless opportunities for creating contracts that automatically execute when predefined conditions are met. Ethereum's flexibility and security, along with its broad support from developers, became key factors in its success in the blockchain ecosystem.