Ethereum’s popularity 'a double-edged sword’ — a16z's State of Crypto Report

2 years ago

Crypto task money elephantine Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has highlighted that improvement and request connected Ethereum is “unmatched” contempt the network’s precocious transaction fees.

The steadfast does warn, however, that its “popularity is besides a double-edged sword” fixed Ethereum prioritizes decentralization implicit scaling, resulting successful competing blockchains stealing marketplace stock with “promises of amended show and little fees.”

The comments came via a blog station introducing a16z’s 2022 “State of Crypto” report, with the firm’s information idiosyncratic Daren Matsuoka, caput of protocol plan and engineering Eddy Lazzarin, General Partner Chris Dixon, and caput of contented Robert Hackett each moving unneurotic to supply 5 cardinal takeaways from the study.

Outside of Ethereum, the study focuses connected topics specified arsenic Web3 development, crypto adoption rates, decentralized concern (DeFi) and stablecoins.

— a16z (@a16z) May 17, 2022

According to information from the report, Ethereum towers implicit the contention successful presumption of builder interest, arsenic the web has astir 4,000 progressive monthly developers compared to second-ranked Solana (SOL) astatine 1,000. Bitcoin (BTC) and Cardano (ADA) are adjacent successful enactment astatine astir 500 and 400 apiece.

The analysts noted that “Ethereum’s pb has overmuch to bash with its aboriginal start, and, the wellness of its community” but emphasized the value of improvement continuing to surge connected the web contempt precocious transaction costs:

“Ethereum’s overwhelming mindshare helps explicate wherefore its users person been consenting to wage much than $15 cardinal successful fees per time connected mean conscionable to usage the blockchain — singular for specified a young project.”

The request for Ethereum tin besides beryllium seen crossed the report’s estimated transaction fees paid connected a blockchain implicit a seven-day mean (calculated arsenic of May 12), with the information showing that Ethereum accounts for $15.24 million. To supply contrast, BNB Chain, Avalanche, Fantom, Polygon and Solana relationship for astir $2.5 cardinal worthy of fees combined.

Layer-1 Transaction fees: a16z

The study notes that Layer-2 scaling solutions are warring to bring Ethereum’s fees down and transaction speeds up, portion besides pointing retired that long-awaited upgrades are coming to Ethereum to marque the web more businesslike and cost-effective.

The "long awaited" upgrades can't hap soon capable nevertheless and  a16z besides highlighted successful the study that implicit a 30-day mean (as of May 12), progressive addresses and transactions connected competing blockchains including Solana, BNB Chain and Polygon are already good up of Ethereum.

Related: Ethereum analytics steadfast Nansen acquires DeFi tracker Ape Board

The information shows that Ethereum has 5.5 cardinal progressive addresses that relationship for 1.1 cardinal regular transactions, portion Solana has a mammoth 15.4 cardinal progressive addresses and 15.3 cardinal regular transactions. BNB Chain ranks successful 3rd with 9.4 cardinal and 5 million, portion Polygon totaled astir 2.6 cardinal and 3.4 million. The analysts concluded it won't beryllium a winner-takes-all situation.

“Blockchains are the deed merchandise of a caller computing wave, conscionable arsenic PCs and broadband were successful the ‘90s and 2000s, and arsenic mobile phones were successful the past decade. There’s a batch of country for innovation, and we judge determination volition beryllium aggregate winners.”

Other cardinal takeaways from the study included the DeFi sector’s full worth locked of astir $113 cardinal would marque it 31st largest slope successful the U.S., estimations that Web3 adoption could deed 1 cardinal users by 2031 and that NFTs person generated $3.9 cardinal worthy of gross for creators truthful far.

View source