Ethereum Overtakes L2s Base and Arbitrum on Active Users
Ethereum's active user count has surpassed major Layer 2 networks like Base and Arbitrum, coinciding with record-low transaction fees and ongoing network upgrades.Summary
Ethereum is experiencing a surge in activity, with the number of active addresses exceeding 791,000, surpassing prominent Layer 2 solutions such as Base, Arbitrum, and Optimism. This growth is accompanied by significantly lower transaction fees, averaging just $0.15 compared to $11 a year ago. The increase in utility follows major upgrades like Pectra and Fusaka, which expanded blob capacity and introduced Peer Data Availability Sampling to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Developers are increasingly choosing Ethereum as a settlement layer, with a record 8.7 million new smart contracts deployed in Q4 2025. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin emphasizes the need for the network to become self-sufficient, requiring advancements in quantum resistance, scalability, state architecture, and decentralization. Upcoming upgrades, including the Glamsterdam fork, aim to further enhance throughput to 10,000 transactions per second, positioning Ethereum for long-term sustainability and developer independence.
(Source：Cointelegraph)