2. How did smart contracts appear?

The idea was originally described by computer scientist and cryptographer Nick Szabo in 1994.

He defined the main principles of work, but at the time there was no appropriate environment to realize them. A lot has changed since Blockchain technology emerged. Bitcoin laid the basis for contracting on the Blockchain. However, its tools couldn't meet all needs. The appearance of Ethereum put smart contracts into operation for everyone, giving further impetus to dealmaking.