Ethereum network continues to lead in the adoption of decentralized applications related to volumes and deposits. While rival blockchain networks like Solana and BNB Chain benefit from lower transaction fees that increase unique active addresses, well-funded organizations have yet to hinder Ethereum’s DApp volume growth. The recent increase in activity on the Ethereum network stands apart from broader cryptocurrency market trends and even contradicts other usage metrics.
What’s Happening in the Ethereum Ecosystem?
While it’s impossible to confirm any manipulation, it’s important to remember that even with a low transaction fee of $2.4, figures in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, where deposits can exceed $1 billion, can be skewed.
It’s noteworthy that Ethereum is the only network among the top 20 to report volume growth, with an impressive 83% increase compared to the previous week. For perspective, similar protocols like BNB Chain, Polygon, Solana, and TON saw an average volume drop of over 30%. Moreover, Ethereum’s 475,980 addresses pale in comparison to BNB Chain’s 1.18 million and Solana’s 1.62 million addresses.
Interestingly, the increase in Ethereum’s volume did not match an increase in user numbers. Using unique active addresses interacting with DApps as an indicator, Ethereum saw 8% fewer users compared to the previous week; this is a contradictory situation given the significant volume increase, even though it fared better than its competitors. Despite having fewer users due to relatively high fees, Ethereum’s growth in deposits might be compensating for the decline in activity.
Data shows that the total value locked in Ethereum’s DeFi applications fell by 17.5% in seven days, while competitors like Solana and Avalanche managed to attract deposits. Additionally, the number of DApp transactions on the Ethereum network did not increase during this period of rising volumes, indicating that a more comprehensive analysis is needed to understand the anomaly.
Here Are the Notable Details
Ethereum’s volume growth was primarily driven by a 422% increase in Balancer over seven days, reaching a total of $40.6 billion. For example, this was 13 times more than the total activity on BNB Chain during the same period. However, Balancer’s significant volume increase did not align with improvements in other metrics; the DApp saw a 5% drop in unique addresses and a 14% drop in transactions within the same week.
Excluding Balancer’s contribution, Ethereum’s volume growth over seven days actually fell by 5% because this single DApp accounted for 59.5% of the entire network’s volume. While it’s not unusual for one DApp to dominate a blockchain’s volume, the reported activity growth on Ethereum should be monitored carefully due to the distortion caused by a single DApp.
