Ethereum (ETH) Revenue From Transaction Fees Drops by 95%

The second-largest blockchain in the world by market capitalization is grappling with a dramatic drop in its revenue from transaction fees.

Ethereum (ETH), the second-largest blockchain in the world, has seen a dramatic drop in its transaction fee revenue—a 95% decline. This shift highlights the changing landscape within the blockchain ecosystem and raises concerns about the platform's long-term sustainability.

Once a powerhouse during the explosive growth of decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Ethereum is now grappling with the consequences of changing trends in these areas. As 2025 progresses, it appears that Ethereum's previous revenue model is faltering, impacting both its price and overall network activity.

A 95% Transaction Fee Revenue Drop

During the final quarter of 2021, Ethereum's transaction fee revenue saw a record surge. The blockchain generated an astounding $4.3 billion in transaction fees, showcasing an astronomical 1,777% increase year-over-year. This surge was largely driven by the explosive growth of DeFi applications, DEX (decentralized exchange) volumes, and the booming NFT market.

However, fast forward to Q1 2025, and Ethereum's revenue projections have sharply fallen. According to CCCoin, the blockchain is expected to bring in only around $217 million in transaction fees. This marks a significant drop from its 2021 highs, signaling a broad reduction in network activity.

Layer 2 Solutions Contribute to Declining Revenue

One of the primary reasons for Ethereum's transaction fee revenue drop lies in the rapid adoption of Layer 2 (L2) scaling solutions. These solutions, designed to alleviate the burden on Ethereum's mainnet by processing transactions off-chain and settling them back onto the Ethereum blockchain, have gained immense popularity.

While they are instrumental in reducing transaction costs and improving scalability, L2 platforms also generate far fewer fees for the Ethereum mainnet itself.

"Layer 2-related fees, which were high in 2023 and early 2024, have since declined due to cost savings introduced by EIP-4844, which also saw a reduction in gas used for L2 transactions and reduced transaction volumes on-chain, ” noted a CoinShares report. This shift indicates that while Ethereum continues to grow in terms of user adoption, the economic model based on transaction fees is no longer as lucrative.

Decline in NFT Activity Further Impacts Transaction Volume

Another factor contributing to Ethereum's transaction fee revenue decline is the drastic reduction in NFT (non-fungible token) activity. Q4 2021 witnessed the height of the NFT boom, with platforms like OpenSea reporting billions of dollars in monthly trading volume.

But the NFT market has since cooled considerably. As interest in NFTs wanes, Ethereum, which hosts the majority of NFT transactions, has seen a corresponding decline in its revenue stream.

The initial hype and excitement around NFTs, fueled by speculative trading and celebrity endorsements, have largely fizzled out. Moreover, many NFT projects have failed to sustain long-term value, leading to disillusionment among collectors and traders.

As the dust settles on the NFT frenzy, it appears that the market is transitioning towards more sustainable models, focusing on utility and community engagement rather than hype-driven speculation. This shift might be slow, but it is leading to a decrease in trading volume and, consequently, less transaction fee revenue for Ethereum.

Ethereum's Price Struggles in 2025

The struggles of Ethereum are not limited to transaction fee revenue alone. The price of ETH has also been hit hard. After peaking at an all-time high (ATH) of $4,878 in November 2021, Ethereum's price has since fallen by more than 58%. This steep decline puts into perspective the magnitude of the downturn.

To put this in historical context, according to Benzinga, Q1 2025 marked Ethereum's worst quarterly performance since 2018, with ETH plunging by 40%. In contrast, Bitcoin (BTC) managed to rebound during the election euphoria, suggesting that Ethereum's struggles might be steeper than those faced by the world's top cryptocurrency.

This sharp drop highlights the ongoing challenges facing the cryptocurrency market and Ethereum's inability to keep up with the recovery seen by other assets. Several factors might be contributing to Ethereum's price struggles.

Firstly, the broader cryptocurrency market has seen significant setbacks in 2025, with most digital assets experiencing losses following the bullish run of late 2021. This downturn can be attributed to macroeconomic issues, regulatory concerns, and the winding down of the bull market that began in 2019.

Secondly, Ethereum's transaction volume and network activity have decreased compared to the highs reached during the DeFi summer of 2021 and the NFT boom of 2021–2022. As mentioned earlier, the rapid adoption of Layer 2 scaling solutions