Since early 2016 Ethereum has regularly held the No.2 crypto position - buoyed by a compelling ‘world computer’ narrative, and the promise of smart contracts driving transactional efficiency to new heights. Midway through 2019, however, it faces numerous worthy competitors and enterprise grade real-world applications powered by Ethereum remain few and far between. With its future dominance no longer a foregone conclusion, all eyes are now on the upcoming Istanbul hard fork and the 2020 launch of Ethereum 2.0 to deliver on the blockchain’s early promise.