Some folks still call it digital silver—a nickname that stuck since the early days.

The network's been chugging along since 2011. No major outages. No drama. Usage stats? They've climbed steadily, especially as transaction costs on larger chains started biting.

What's the pitch now? Fast settlements for everyday payments. And here's the kicker: privacy features are rolling out as opt-in tools. Not mandatory. Just there if you want them.

While newer projects chase hype cycles, this one's playing the long game. Boring reliability might not trend on social media, but it tends to survive market winters.