The ERC-20 version of Ethereum for DeFi and smart contracts.
**Wrapped Ether (WETH)** is Ethereum (ETH) in a wrapped format that follows the **ERC-20 standard**,
making it fully compatible with decentralized applications and smart contracts.
1 WETH is always equal to 1 ETH. Wrapping ETH simply allows it to be used in protocols that require ERC-20 tokens, without changing its underlying value.
Below is live market data fetched directly from the CoinGecko API.
Wrapped Ether (WETH) Live Data
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Project Overview
Ethereum was created before the ERC-20 standard, so ETH itself does not natively comply with it. **Wrapped Ether (WETH)** bridges that gap by tokenizing ETH into a form compatible with modern smart contracts.
WETH can be easily unwrapped back into ETH at any time, maintaining a 1:1 ratio. It is widely used across DeFi platforms for trading, lending, and liquidity provision.
Wrapping and unwrapping can be done through smart contracts or directly via major wallets and DeFi apps.
Key Insights
WETH plays a fundamental role in the Ethereum ecosystem, allowing ETH to interact seamlessly with ERC-20 protocols.
It underpins most DeFi activities - including liquidity pools on Uniswap, lending on Aave, and trading on DEXs.
WETH does not alter the value of Ethereum; it simply improves usability and compatibility across Web3.
Common Questions About Wrapped Ether
1. What is Wrapped Ether (WETH)?
WETH is Ethereum (ETH) converted into an ERC-20 token to interact with decentralized applications.
2. Why is wrapping ETH necessary?
ETH is not ERC-20 compliant by default, so WETH enables smart contracts to handle it like any other token.
3. Is WETH always equal to ETH?
Yes, 1 WETH = 1 ETH at all times. You can convert between them freely.
4. How do I wrap or unwrap ETH?
Through DeFi platforms like Uniswap or directly via supported wallets (e.g., MetaMask).
5. Is WETH safe?
Yes, it's one of the most used tokens in DeFi. Wrapping and unwrapping are done via open-source smart contracts.
Market Context
WETH is essential to the functioning of Ethereum's decentralized finance ecosystem. It's used as a base trading pair, a collateral asset, and a liquidity tool across thousands of smart contracts.
The concept of wrapping has since been extended to other assets - such as Bitcoin (WBTC) or staked ETH (WSTETH) - to improve interoperability across blockchains.