Blockchain Activity Report: BNB Chain Leads with Nearly 19 Million Weekly Active Users

Major Networks Experience Mixed User Growth as Ethereum Shows Strong Gains Amid Industry-Wide Fluctuations

In the rapidly evolving landscape of blockchain technology, user engagement serves as a critical metric for measuring network health and adoption. Recent data analyzing weekly active users across major layer-1 (L1) and layer-2 (L2) blockchains reveals significant insights into which networks are capturing the most user activity, with BNB Chain maintaining its dominant position despite recent declines.

BNB Chain Dominates Blockchain Activity Despite Market Fluctuations

BNB Chain continues to lead the blockchain ecosystem with approximately 18.9 million weekly active users, according to the latest network usage data. This metric, which tracks unique wallet addresses completing at least one transaction within a seven-day period, provides a more accurate representation of genuine network engagement than traditional measures like total wallet counts or market capitalization.

Despite maintaining its top position, BNB Chain has experienced a 5.7% decline in active users over the past month, reflecting broader market sentiment and fluctuating engagement patterns across the industry. The network, formerly known as Binance Smart Chain, has built its substantial user base through a combination of low transaction fees, compatibility with Ethereum-based applications, and strong integration with Binance’s ecosystem of services.

“Weekly active user metrics give us the clearest picture of which blockchains are gaining actual traction versus those that might appear popular based on market cap alone,” explained blockchain analyst Sarah Thompson, who was not directly involved in compiling the data. “BNB Chain’s continued dominance speaks to its accessibility and the practical utility it offers to everyday crypto users.”

Emerging Networks Challenge Established Players as Usage Patterns Shift

Following closely behind BNB Chain, NEAR Protocol has established itself as a formidable competitor with 15.5 million weekly active users, despite experiencing a modest 2.8% decline over the previous month. NEAR’s impressive user statistics highlight the growing appeal of networks designed with scalability and user experience as primary considerations.

Solana ranks third with 9.7 million weekly active users, though it has weathered a more significant 9.6% reduction in activity over the 30-day period. This decline comes despite Solana’s recent price appreciation and increased institutional interest, suggesting a potential disconnect between market performance and actual network utilization.

Perhaps most noteworthy among the data is Aptos, which has demonstrated remarkable growth with a 26.3% increase in weekly active users, bringing its total to 6.6 million. This surge in activity positions Aptos among the fastest-growing major blockchain networks, potentially signaling increasing developer and user confidence in the relatively new platform. The network, launched in 2022 by former Meta (Facebook) employees who worked on the abandoned Diem project, has steadily gained traction for its unique architecture and promising performance capabilities.

“What’s particularly interesting about these figures is how they reveal divergent trends across different blockchain ecosystems,” noted blockchain economist Marcus Chen. “While some established networks are seeing temporary contractions in usage, emerging platforms like Aptos are capturing significant new user interest, demonstrating that the space remains highly dynamic.”

Ethereum Shows Strong Growth as Layer-2 Solutions and DeFi Protocols Face Challenges

Ethereum, often considered the cornerstone of decentralized finance and smart contract functionality, recorded 3.3 million weekly active users—a figure that might seem modest compared to some competitors but represents an impressive 21% growth over the past month. This substantial increase in activity suggests renewed interest in Ethereum’s ecosystem, potentially driven by developments in the network’s scalability solutions and the anticipated impact of future upgrades.

The data also highlights interesting trends among Layer-2 scaling solutions and decentralized finance protocols. Base, a prominent Ethereum Layer-2 solution backed by Coinbase, has experienced a substantial 29.4% decrease in weekly active users, bringing its total to 2 million. Similarly, leading DeFi protocols PancakeSwap and Uniswap both recorded 21.1% declines in activity, suggesting potential shifts in how users are interacting with decentralized financial services.

Polygon, however, stands as a notable exception among scaling solutions, achieving 8.6% growth to reach 5.8 million weekly active users. This positive trajectory may reflect the network’s successful partnerships with major brands and its ongoing development of zero-knowledge technology, which promises to significantly enhance blockchain scalability and privacy.

“Ethereum’s growth is particularly significant given its position as the primary infrastructure for so many decentralized applications,” said DeFi researcher Elena Kowalski. “The contrasting fortunes of different Layer-2 solutions suggest we’re seeing users become more selective about which scaling platforms they engage with, potentially based on specific use cases or ecosystem advantages.”

Bitcoin Maintains Steady Presence While Specialized Networks Gain Traction

Bitcoin, the original cryptocurrency, maintains a substantial presence with 2.5 million weekly active users, though it experienced an 8.7% decline over the period analyzed. As primarily a store of value rather than an application platform, Bitcoin’s active user metrics reflect a different type of engagement compared to smart contract-focused blockchains.

The data also highlights several specialized networks gaining significant user traction. Sei Network, focused on optimizing for specific use cases including decentralized exchanges, recorded 2.8 million weekly active users despite a 9.5% monthly decline. Jito, a Solana-based liquid staking protocol, maintained 2.7 million users even after experiencing a 25.7% reduction in activity—one of the steepest declines among major networks.

World Mobile Chain, with its focus on telecommunications infrastructure, demonstrated remarkable stability with 2.5 million users and zero change in activity levels over the 30-day period. This consistency suggests the network may have found a sustainable user base for its specialized applications.

Market Implications and Future Outlook for Blockchain Adoption

The varying trajectories of network usage across the blockchain landscape reflect the sector’s ongoing maturation and specialization. While overall activity appears to be consolidating or moderately declining across many networks, the substantial growth seen in platforms like Aptos, Ethereum, and Polygon indicates that user interest continues to shift rather than disappear.

“These active user metrics provide valuable insight beyond price movements,” explained digital asset strategist Jonathan Rivera. “They help identify which networks are building sustainable ecosystems versus those that might be experiencing temporary hype or speculation. Investors and developers should pay close attention to these trends when making long-term decisions.”

As the blockchain space continues to evolve, these weekly active user metrics will remain a crucial indicator of which networks are succeeding in attracting and retaining genuine engagement. The data suggests that while established players maintain significant advantages in terms of total user numbers, the competitive landscape remains fluid, with substantial opportunities for growth among both emerging networks and established platforms implementing effective development strategies.

Industry observers note that these figures should be considered alongside other metrics such as total value locked (TVL), developer activity, and transaction volumes to form a comprehensive understanding of blockchain ecosystem health. As the market continues to mature, the correlation between user engagement and long-term network success will likely become increasingly apparent, providing clearer signals for both users and investors navigating this complex technological landscape.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.