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Path to Ethereum 2.0 

The Ethereum 2.0 update will not happen all at once, but will be rolled out in three phases, each with different features.

Stage 0
The first phase, or Phase 0, will focus on the release of Beacon Chain, as it is key to the functionality of shard chains. Even before their launch, Beacon Chain will start accepting validators (stakers) through a one-way deposit contract.
All registered validators who have staked ETH will not be able to withdraw tokens until shard chains are implemented. In other words, validators' ETH will be locked until the next stage.

Beacon Chain was launched on December 1, 2020 and runs parallel to the main network. It does not process its transactions, but exists in parallel and reaches consensus by reconciling active validators and their account balances. More about world of crypto read here https://redot.com/eth2/

Stage 1/1.5
In the next period, stages 1 and 1.5 are combined. Phase 1 introduced shard chains, which allow validators to create blocks on the blockchain using PoS. In Phase 1.5, the Ethereum mainnet will formally introduce shard chains and begin the transition from PoW to PoS.
Phase 1/1.5 rollout began in 2021.

Merge
The merger is an important step towards Ethereum 2.0 and the end of PoW. As a result of the merger, the Ethereum blockchain will move from a PoW consensus mechanism to a PoS mechanism.
The merger involves the transition of the current protocol in the main Ethereum network to Beacon Chain. This is a major change as Ethereum transactions will now take place on the new PoS network. New ETH tokens will be created by network nodes that will start depositing a certain amount of Ether into the pool to secure the network and confirm transactions.

This merge is not a hard fork and will not split the blockchain into two different versions. Ethereum will remain a single blockchain, which will carry over the entire history of user transactions currently stored on the main network. Since the transaction history will not be lost, users do not need to take any action to protect their assets.

Stage 2
Phase 2 will be the final stage where Ethereum 2.0 will support fully formed shards and become the official Ethereum network. Shard chains will also be able to work with smart contracts, allowing developers of DApps and other technologies to seamlessly integrate them with Ethereum 2.0.
Stage 2 is expected to start after the merge.