If you want a clean read on blockchain adoption in 2025, follow the users. Cointelegraph just published a ranking of the top 10 fastest-growing blockchains by active users, highlighting where real transactions — not just speculation — are happening. Below, we summarize the list, add context from independent data sources, and explain what the growth signals for DeFi, NFTs, stablecoins, and L2s actually mean for builders and investors.
Why “active users” matters
In this ranking, active users = unique wallet addresses that transacted over a period. It’s not a perfect proxy for people (bots and multiple wallets exist), but it’s still a strong, chain-agnostic indicator of on-chain engagement across payments, swaps, games, and dapps. Cointelegraph’s list blends L1s and L2s — a crucial framing because many of Ethereum’s users now live on rollups that inherit ETH security yet offer near-zero fees.
Independent dashboards reinforce the trend: for example, Artemis data has shown Solana competing with (and at times matching) the combined monthly active addresses of other major L1s/L2s — a stark illustration of how user activity clusters around fast, cheap rails.
The 2025 Top 10 — by monthly active users
1) Solana — 57M MAU (L1)
Solana’s high-throughput design and sub-second UX have drawn waves of retail activity — from DeFi and NFTs to hyper-active memecoin trading. The rising reliability from client upgrades (e.g., Firedancer) and expanding institutional interest helped it clinch the #1 spot by monthly active users.
2) NEAR Protocol — 51.2M MAU (L1)
NEAR’s sharded architecture and aggressive latency improvements (sub-second finality) make it feel “instant” for consumer apps. A push into agent/intents UX and low fees have coincided with sharp address growth.
3) BNB Chain — 46.4M MAU (L1)
Backed by vast liquidity and EVM compatibility, BNB Chain remains a hub for retail DeFi and low-fee transfers. Shorter block times and a sprawling app set keep it near the top of the usage charts.
4) Base — 21.5M MAU (L2 on Ethereum)
Coinbase’s L2 benefits from seamless onboarding (100M+ exchange accounts can funnel into Base) and ultra-low fees. Stablecoin flows and consumer-app partnerships have turned Base into a mainstream on-ramp to on-chain.
5) Tron — 14.4M MAU (L1)
Tron’s sweet spot remains stablecoin transfer volume with negligible fees, plus integrations that tap messaging and entertainment ecosystems. The trade-off: ongoing questions around centralization and regulatory exposure.
6) Bitcoin — 10.8M MAU (L1)
Despite being “digital gold,” BTC’s user activity is buoyed by ETF-driven attention and L2 experimentation. On-chain, the address count remains substantial; off-chain, the ETF channel continues to normalize exposure for traditional investors.
7) Aptos — 10M MAU (L1)
Built by ex-Meta engineers, Aptos leans on the Move language, high TPS claims, and a growing DeFi stack. It’s an execution-first chain still building out breadth of apps and liquidity.
8) Ethereum — 9.6M MAU (L1)
ETH remains the developer and settlement heavyweight. While many users live on L2s, Ethereum’s base layer still shows millions of monthly active addresses — with roadmap upgrades (like Pectra) aimed at UX and scalability.
9) Polygon — 7.2M MAU (L2/PoS sidechain)
Polygon’s multi-chain strategy and big-brand partnerships keep user activity resilient. Interop upgrades and enterprise pilots sustain daily engagement beyond pure DeFi speculation.
10) Arbitrum One — 4M MAU (L2 on Ethereum)
Arbitrum’s optimistic rollup powers thriving DeFi (e.g., perps, DEXs). Ongoing tech upgrades (e.g., Stylus) and integrations (e.g., brokerage rails) keep it a core venue for cheap swaps with ETH security guarantees.
What’s fueling 2025’s user growth?
1) Stablecoins as the killer app.
Stablecoins are the backbone of on-chain commerce, from P2P transfers to B2B settlement. Fresh research shows stablecoin payment rails driving enormous throughput, which in turn raises the floor for active addresses across chains. If fees are low and the UX is simple, users stick.
2) L2 scalability with familiar brands.
Rollups like Base and Arbitrum are onboarding users who might never touch a seed phrase or gas slider — especially when their existing exchange or brokerage bridges the gap. That’s a structural tailwind for active users on L2s even if the underlying security comes from Ethereum.
3) Consumer-grade speed and cost.
Chains with sub-second latency and ultra-low fees (Solana, NEAR) make DeFi + NFTs + social feel like web2. That “instant” feel shows up directly in the MAU counts and is echoed by external datasets tracking address growth and activity bursts.
4) Liquidity magnets and ETFs.
For Bitcoin, the emergence of spot ETFs keeps attention (and new wallets) flowing. For smart-contract chains, deep liquidity on DEXs and perps reinforces “stickiness” — users don’t just show up; they keep transacting.
What builders and investors can do with this list
- Pick chains by job-to-be-done. Need ultra-low fees and viral consumer UX? Start with Solana or NEAR. Need ETH security and mainstream funnel effects? Try Base or Arbitrum. Need stablecoin highways with entrenched liquidity? BNB Chain and Tron still deliver massive transfer footprints.
- Watch for durable users, not one-off spikes. Artemis and other dashboards help separate seasonal airdrop traffic from sticky activity around payments, perps, and gaming — the categories that sustain MAU.
- Design for stablecoin flows. If your dapp solves a payment, remittance, or commerce pain point, integrate the stablecoins your target market already uses. It’s the fastest path to real active users.
The bottom line
The fastest-growing blockchains of 2025 are the ones turning curiosity into daily on-chain behavior: instant swaps, low-friction payments, sticky games, and consumer apps that don’t feel like spreadsheets. The Cointelegraph ranking puts hard numbers to that trend — Solana (57M MAU), NEAR (51.2M), BNB Chain (46.4M), Base (21.5M), Tron (14.4M), Bitcoin (10.8M), Aptos (10M), Ethereum (9.6M), Polygon (7.2M), Arbitrum One (4M) — and independent datasets back up the broader story of users crowding onto fast, cheap rails. Expect the leaderboard to keep shifting as L2s compress fees further and L1s race to feel instantaneous. For now, builders and investors have one clear directive: follow the users.