The analysis describes ten public networks that led year-over-year growth in daily active users according to on-chain reports, driven by low fees, strong mobile experiences and large custodian funnels. This combination is changing the competition for real users toward chains that offer affordability, speed and easy access through exchanges and wallets.
Methodology and context
The main method combines daily active users from on-chain aggregators with the yearly change and considers exceptional events such as fee cuts, infrastructure launches and acquisition campaigns to explain usage peaks. This blended approach helps distinguish sustained adoption from temporary spikes by correlating DAU metrics with contextual network developments.
Top growing public networks
TRON
TRON shows large growth after fee cuts, reporting peaks of millions of daily active users driven by stablecoin transfers and entertainment apps. Fee reductions and consumer-facing entertainment applications boosted transfer volumes and retention during peak periods, making TRON a top mover in DAU growth.
Solana
Solana records more than 1.2 million daily active users in important periods, powered by mobile apps, gaming and very low fees. Mobile-optimized experiences and a strong developer presence in gaming have contributed to significant DAU figures when the network operated smoothly.
BNB Chain
BNB Chain holds about 900,000 daily active users sustained by the exchange effect and a broad ecosystem of DeFi and gaming. The integration with exchange services and a mature ecosystem of applications keeps user activity relatively high and resilient to short-term shocks.
Polygon
Polygon sees between 500,000 and 700,000 daily active users thanks to Ethereum compatibility and lower gas costs. Its EVM compatibility and reduced fees attract developers and users migrating from congested networks, maintaining healthy DAU levels.
Ethereum (L1)
Ethereum maintains 400,000 to 500,000 daily active users and remains the reference layer for security and developer activity. Despite higher fees, its trust, tooling and developer base sustain a steady user base focused on high-value use cases.
Arbitrum
Arbitrum records over 250,000 daily active users by combining Ethereum-level security with improved cost and speed as a Layer-2 solution. Its rollup design and ecosystem incentives helped migrate activity from congested L1 periods toward lower-cost transactions.
Base (Coinbase)
Base reaches more than 200,000 daily active users with quick adoption driven by Coinbase’s user funnel and integrations. Exchange-backed onboarding and native integrations accelerate retail user adoption and reduce friction for newcomers entering Web3.
Optimism
Optimism averages about 150,000 daily active users and continues to grow through incentives and system development. Its governance-driven roadmap and incentive programs are important levers for sustaining user engagement and developer activity.
Avalanche C-Chain
Avalanche C-Chain holds 100,000 to 150,000 daily active users supported by subnets and specialized use cases. Its modular approach and focus on performance for targeted applications attract niche but consistent traffic to the network.
zkSync Era
zkSync Era shows over 100,000 daily active users, with adoption driven by scalability and zero-knowledge proofs that offer privacy and performance benefits. zk-rollup technology and developer interest in privacy-aware scaling contribute to its growing DAU figures.
Drivers of adoption
Small fees, good mobile experiences and network effects from exchanges or wallet connections are the primary drivers that differentiate winning networks. Incentive campaigns, technical improvements in Layer-2 designs and merchant or app integrations accelerate user movement from congested networks to cheaper, faster alternatives.
Instability and centralization concerns
Daily active user figures are volatile and respond to temporary fee changes, upgrades and governance decisions, and reliance on centralized funnels raises questions about user control. Rapid adoption driven by exchanges or custodians does not necessarily translate into long-term decentralization or sustained self-custody for users.
Growth confirms that users prefer cheaper and faster environments, but long-term consolidation will depend on preserving self-custody and avoiding excessive central control. Monitoring on-chain figures alongside DAU trends is essential to separate true adoption from temporary increases and to identify networks that combine usability with financial control principles for sustained success.
