Learn about the top Layer 2 blockchains leading the way in innovation over Ethereum. Discover their tokenomics, advantages, risks, and why these solutions are transforming the crypto experience.
The ability to scale blockchain networks is critical to the long-term viability and development of the blockchain ecosystem. Ethereum, the leading smart contract platform, has historically faced challenges of congestion and high transaction costs related to scalability, which have hindered its mass adoption.
In this scenario, the Layer 2 solutions have emerged as key players, offering effective methods to improve scalability, reduce costs, and maintain high security standards, relying on the robustness of Ethereum as a base layer.
EXPLORE THE CRYPTO ECOSYSTEM SAFELYThis article offers a detailed and updated ranking of the most prominent Layer 2 blockchains in 2025: Arbitum, Base, Optimism y Polygon zkEVMTheir technical characteristics, tokenomics, practical use cases, and adoption levels are detailed, as well as the challenges and risks these projects face.
What are Layer 2 networks?
Layer 2 blockchains are infrastructures that operate on top of the main Ethereum chain (Layer 1), designed to lighten the load, increase speed, and lower transaction costsThey work by processing multiple transactions off-chain and then consolidating and verifying this data using cryptographic mechanisms on Ethereum, preserving the inherent security and decentralization.
Among the techniques most used by these L2 solutions are: optimistic rollups y zk-rollups. The first, the optimistic rollups, as in Arbitum y Optimism, assume that off-chain transactions are valid, offering a period to detect potential fraud through fraud proofs. ZK rollups, on the other hand, use zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to efficiently validate multiple transactions, ensuring privacy and speed, an innovative proposal exemplified by Polygon zkEVM.
Both technologies provide a high level of scalability. For example, Arbitrum can process up to 40.000 transactions per second (TPS), reducing costs by up to 95% compared to the Ethereum mainnet. Polygon zkEVM, for its part, which incorporates zk-rollups fully compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), can process up to 200.000 TPS, allowing developers to easily migrate their applications with additional benefits in privacy and efficiency.
These Layer 2 architectures allow Ethereum to maintain its security while significantly improving the user experience, incentivizing increased and robust adoption of the blockchain ecosystem.
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Arbitrum, Base and Polygon: Ethereum's Main L2s
Arbitrum: The giant of Optimistic Rollups
Arbitrum, developed by Offchain Labs, is a Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum that uses Optimistic Rollups technology to process transactions off the main chain and then validate them on Ethereum. This model assumes that transactions are valid unless proven otherwise through fraud proofs, significantly reducing the computational load and associated costs on the main network. Thanks to this architecture, Arbitrum can process up to 40.000 transactions per second, far exceeding Ethereum's capacity and reducing fees by up to 90%.
This efficiency has made Arbitrum home to major DeFi protocols like Uniswap and Aave, while also attracting a growing community of developers taking advantage of its compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and new tools like Stylus, which allow programming in languages like Rust and C++.
Arbitrum's robust and expanding ecosystem is driven by a roadmap that prioritizes decentralization, continuous improvement of the developer experience, and optimization of cross-chain Layer 2 and Layer 3 interactions.
Source: DeFi Llama
Polygon zkEVM: Efficiency, Security, and Privacy
Polygon zkEVM is an innovative Layer 2 solution for Ethereum that combines ZK Rollups (zero-knowledge proofs) technology with full compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This allows existing Ethereum smart contracts and applications to run on Polygon zkEVM without modification, facilitating a simple and secure migration.
Launched on its mainnet beta in March 2023, this network can process up to 200.000 transactions per second (TPS) with extremely low fees, less than $0,01 per transaction. Its cryptographic proof-based architecture guarantees transaction privacy and integrity, while inheriting the security of Ethereum.
Polygon zkEVM has gained traction in sectors such as gaming and NFTs, thanks to its integration with popular tools like MetaMask and its plan to evolve toward a Validium model, which will further improve scalability and security. The network currently hosts over $980 million in total value locked (TVL), excelling in decentralized finance (DeFi) applications like QuickSwap.
Source: DeFi Llama
Optimism: Simplicity as a Strategy
Optimism is a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum that uses optimistic rollup technology to improve scalability and reduce costs without sacrificing security. Built on code similar to Arbitrum, Optimism differentiates itself by its full compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing existing smart contracts to run with minimal adjustments.
By 2024, Optimism processed an average of 2,5 million daily transactions and reached a total value locked (TVL) of $1.100 billion, leading sectors such as decentralized insurance. Its ecosystem, known as Superchain, integrates multiple Layer 2 chains that operate as a unified network, facilitating interoperability and the seamless movement of assets and users between them.
Additionally, Optimism implements a backdating program called OP Stack, which redistributes 30% of generated fees to developers, incentivizing innovation and sustainable ecosystem growth. This combination of speed, low cost, and community support positions Optimism as one of the most promising scalability solutions for Ethereum, significantly contributing to the mass adoption of decentralized finance and blockchain applications.
Source: DeFi Llama
Base: A robust new contender
Base is a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum that utilizes Optimistic Rollups technology, developed by Optimism, to improve the scalability of the main network. This technology allows multiple transactions to be grouped and processed off-chain, significantly reducing confirmation times and the costs associated with each transaction while maintaining the security and decentralization of the Ethereum blockchain.
By operating as a secondary layer, Base inherits the robustness of Ethereum's consensus, ensuring that transactions are secure and reliable. It also offers full compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), making it easy for developers to migrate and deploy decentralized applications (dApps) without major modifications.
Overall, Base stands out for its focus on creating a developer- and user-friendly environment, with predictable costs and near-instant transactions. Its growing ecosystem is already attracting well-known projects like Compound and 1inch, and it has managed to capture around $4.000 billion in total value locked (TVL).
Source: DeFi Llama
Use cases and adoption on Ethereum L2 in 2025
For this year, Layer 2 blockchains have established themselves as essential ecosystems for applications in DeFi, NFT, blockchain games y international payments, reducing barriers to entry based on cost and speed. Arbitrum is one of the undisputed players with over $300.000 billion in transaction volume in Uniswap, the platform DEX most recognized, reflecting its ability to support large-scale operations at optimal speed and costs.
Optimism, for its part, houses emblematic projects such as Synthetix y Aave, facilitating millions of transactions in Crypto derivatives and decentralized lending with low rates and high speed, in addition to encouraging the development of new multi-chain applications.
Polygon zkEVM stands out for its full compatibility with Ethereum, which has encouraged smooth migrations of developers towards a secure and efficient environment, increasing its prominence in markets of NFTs and gamesFinally, Base has managed to attract a broad community of developers and users, providing an optimized environment for the creation and adoption of innovative projects.
Together, these Layer 2 networks have transformed Ethereum into a competitive and operational multi-chain system, where the majority of transactional activity now occurs outside the mainnet, alleviating mainnet congestion and improving the user experience. The growth in active addresses and total value locked (TVL) on these platforms reflects accelerated and sustained adoption, cementing Layer 2 networks as the primary driver for the expansion and evolution of the crypto ecosystem in 2025.
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