The Tezos blockchain is a purpose-built decentralized platform for smart contracts and dApps. Its native currency is called Tez (XTZ), although is more commonly referred to as the platform's name.
You can use XTZ to utilize dApps on the platform or to make transactions. You do not even have to secure a stable internet connection and some computing resources to take advantage of XTZ staking. Simply choose a delegate to stake it for you in a process called "baking".
Tezos is secure and fork-resistant, meaning its modular architecture eliminates the need to split the blockchain for an upgrade. The design was developed in 2014 by Arthur Breitman, and by 2017 with the help of Kathleen Breitman, Tezos was launched to the public after one of the largest and most complicated ICOs in 2016. Today, it enjoys the reputation of being an enterprise-grade solution for dApps, fungible and nonfungible tokens, and even CBDCs.