Ethereum and Polygon dominate the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) landscape, attracting the majority of new users and trading volume. Ethereum boasts 13.4 million new users, while Polygon has 12.3 million, accounting for nearly 70% of the combined new user base in 2023. Arbitrum follows with 4.7 million new users, while Layer-2 protocols collectively process more volume than Ethereum's mainnet. DeFi remains the major attraction for new users, with Ethereum leading in trading volume at $12 billion in Q1.
Ethereum and Polygon Lead Surge in EVM User Growth and Trading Volume
Ethereum and Polygon have continued to dominate the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) ecosystem, attracting a significant majority of new users and driving the bulk of trading volume in the first quarter of 2024, according to Flipside's "New EVM Users: Q1 Snapshot" report.
As of March 27, Ethereum's mainnet had garnered an impressive 13.4 million new users, while Polygon followed closely with 12.3 million. Together, these two giants accounted for approximately 70% of all new user acquisitions across EVM chains in the first quarter. In contrast, Arbitrum, another notable player in the EVM landscape, saw a modest 4.7 million new users since the start of the year.
Despite Ethereum's historical dominance, Layer-2 protocols are gaining traction and cumulatively processing more volume. Decentralized finance (DeFi) remains a key driver for user growth, with Ethereum leading the way in trading volume with a whopping $12 billion traded in Q1. Notably, Arbitrum's new users have contributed a significant $9.5 billion in DeFi trading volume, demonstrating robust engagement despite its lower user acquisition numbers.
Base, a Layer-2 solution backed by the prominent exchange Coinbase, has exhibited remarkable growth in its new user base. Benefiting from Coinbase's efforts to simplify crypto for newcomers, Base has nearly octupled its user base since January, reaching a record 243,000 new users on March 16. This surge coincided with Bitcoin's new all-time high and marked the highest single-day new user count across EVM chains this year.
The Ethereum dApps ecosystem showcases diversity, with a large proportion of new users engaging with a wide range of decentralized applications. However, Base exhibits the most evenly distributed dApp usage among new users, likely due to its early stage and the absence of established market leaders.
Token swaps and bridging apps serve as common entry points for new users across EVM chains. Uniswap and Orbiter Finance emerged as the leading platforms in this category on Ethereum and Base, respectively. Optimism's new user activity, on the other hand, is heavily concentrated on Worldcoin, reflecting sustained interest in the project's unique approach to user onboarding.
In conclusion, Ethereum and Polygon remain the dominant forces in the EVM ecosystem, attracting the majority of new users and driving the bulk of trading volume. Layer-2 protocols are gaining momentum, and Base has emerged as a promising player benefiting from Coinbase's user-friendly onboarding. The dApps ecosystem on Ethereum is diverse, while Base offers a more evenly distributed usage pattern among new users. Token swaps and bridging apps remain key entry points, with Uniswap, Orbiter Finance, and Worldcoin holding significant market share.
