2025-12-31 14:26:25

2025 is coming to an end. Looking back on this year, the performance differences among mainstream public chains are obvious—some steadily expanding their ecosystems, some frequently upgrading performance, and others seeking breakthroughs at the application layer.

Whether it's Ethereum's DeFi ecosystem accumulation, Solana's high TPS advantage, or innovative attempts by other newcomers, each chain is telling a story through data and ecosystem activity.

Entering 2026, competition will be even fiercer. Gas fees, transaction speed, richness of ecosystem applications, cross-chain interoperability—these dimensions are all reshuffling. Which public chain can seize the narrative opportunity? Which ecosystem will usher in a new burst of growth?

What do you think? Which public chain has the best chance to lead in 2026? See you in the comments.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

12 Likes

Reward
12
6
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

EthSandwichHero

· 5h ago

No matter how impressive SOL's TPS is, it depends on the applications. Ecosystem hollowing out is the real Achilles' heel.

View OriginalReply0

FancyResearchLab

· 5h ago

Another year has passed, and Solana is still competing over TPS, Ethereum is still competing over Gas fees, and the theoretically feasible cross-chain solution has locked itself in. Most likely, 2026 will be the same.

View OriginalReply0

MagicBean

· 5h ago

Solana has been extremely popular this year, but when it comes to gas fees, Solana doesn't have much of an advantage. ETH remains very stable.

View OriginalReply0

BearMarketBuyer

· 5h ago

Sol is still too competitive, Ethereum remains stable but a bit dull. --- Wait, can cross-chain interoperability really be done well? It feels like there hasn't been much progress in the past two years. --- Honestly, everyone wants to lead, but where the money is invested is the real question. --- Newcomers? Don't be silly, the ecosystem's cold start is stuck with a bunch of issues. --- Ethereum still hasn't figured out the gas fee problem. --- Can 2026 stop just hype and actually have real-world applications? --- Solana network is down again, haha. --- The activity level of the ecosystem probably has a lot of inflated data too. --- Narrative opportunities ≈ storytelling to deceive, don't be too naive.

View OriginalReply0

NotFinancialAdviser

· 5h ago

Sol still has some potential, but ETH's ecosystem depth really can't be matched. Looking at 2026, it's likely these two will be competing against each other. If ETH gas fees don't decrease soon, it might become unviable. Solana, on the other hand, is flying high with its speed... I haven't quite understood the cross-chain approach; it seems more realistic for each to focus on their own. I'm not optimistic about new entrants; they tend to be just a flash in the pan. Sol's meme coin ecosystem has really become intense, but can it sustain? ETH remains stable, but it's a bit old... we need Layer 2 to truly take off. Gas fees are the biggest enemy; no matter which chain, it's unavoidable. Solana is decent for high-frequency trading, but its ecosystem is somewhat collapsing. I'm optimistic about Sol making a surge, but ETH remains the overall trend.

View OriginalReply0

ApeWithAPlan

· 5h ago

Sol has been incredible this year, but ETH's moat is still there. By 2026, ETH might still come out on top.

View OriginalReply0