Ethereum Classic (ETC) originated from a split of the original Ethereum blockchain, called a hard fork, following a significant security breach known as The DAO incident in 2016. Ethereum Classic maintains the original Ethereum protocol's immutable ledger, upholding the principles of decentralisation and immutability that some believe are foundational to blockchain's value. It operates as an open-source, blockchain-based platform equipped with a cryptocurrency token known as ETC. Though it has seen its ups and downs in the crypto market, it still has its very own dedicated community which always tries to keep it on track. Ethereum Classic not only supports smart contracts but also offers a platform for Decentralised applications (DApps), with ETC used to compensate network participants for computations performed.