Solana Surpasses All Other Blockchains in Weekly Active Addresses

Solana Leads Blockchain Activity with Over 28 Million Addresses, While BNB Chain Dominates DEX Trading Volume

Solana Surpasses All Other Blockchains in Weekly Active Addresses

In a remarkable shift highlighting Solana’s growing dominance in the blockchain ecosystem, recent data from Nansen—as reported by BlockBeats—reveals that Solana recorded the highest number of active addresses among all public blockchains over the past week. With 28.18 million active addresses, Solana not only tops the chart but also showcases increasing user engagement that outpaces even Ethereum and Bitcoin in raw address activity.

This latest surge places Solana well ahead of its competitors, including BNB Chain (10.14 million), Tron (5.86 million), SEI (3.24 million), Aptos (2.89 million), Bitcoin (2.8 million), and Ethereum (2.5 million). More notably, Ethereum exhibited the highest growth rate in active addresses at 8.7%, while Solana followed with a 1.9% increase, further solidifying its position as a highly active network.

BNB Chain Dominates DEX Trading Volume, Outpacing Ethereum and Solana

According to DeFiLlama, BNB Chain currently holds the crown for decentralized exchange (DEX) trading volume, recording $3.93 billion in the past 24 hours alone. This substantial figure positions BNB Chain well ahead of Ethereum ($2.34 billion), Solana ($1.796 billion), Base ($1.16 billion), and SUI ($530 million).

This trading volume reflects both user confidence and liquidity availability on the BNB Chain, showcasing its continued relevance and importance in the DeFi space despite the rise of newer blockchains.

Why Solana’s User Activity Matters

Solana’s leadership in weekly active addresses marks a critical milestone in the Layer-1 blockchain race. Historically known for its high-speed, low-cost transactions, Solana is increasingly viewed as a go-to chain for both developers and end-users, particularly for decentralized applications (dApps), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and GameFi projects.

Some key implications of this surge in user activity include:

Network Maturity: High active address counts suggest that the ecosystem is maturing and supporting a broad array of use cases.
Developer Confidence: Increased usage often reflects higher developer confidence in the network’s scalability and infrastructure.
User Retention and Growth: A consistent or growing number of active addresses points to long-term user engagement, not just short-term speculation.

Ethereum's Growth Rate: Signs of a Revitalized Ecosystem

Although Ethereum lags in absolute numbers, its 8.7% weekly growth in active addresses is a promising indicator. This jump could be driven by several factors:

Renewed interest in Layer-2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism that leverage Ethereum’s security.
Increased activity in DeFi protocols following market volatility.
Institutional participation due to Ethereum's reputation and developer ecosystem.

Top 15 Blockchains by Active Users (Jan 2026): BNB & Solana Dominate as Ethereum Surges 72%

While Ethereum’s base layer may be facing scaling challenges, its Layer-2 integrations and ongoing network upgrades such as Danksharding and Proto-Danksharding (EIP-4844) are expected to boost usability and performance in the coming months.

DEX Trading Volume: What It Tells Us About Market Dynamics

Trading volume in decentralized exchanges serves as a strong indicator of liquidity, market confidence, and active user engagement. The fact that BNB Chain leads the pack with nearly $4 billion in 24-hour trading volume shows its strength in supporting:

High-throughput DeFi protocols
Low-fee trading for retail and institutional investors
Integrated Binance Smart Chain applications

In comparison, Ethereum’s $2.34 billion in DEX volume—while significant—is reflective of higher transaction costs, which might deter smaller retail investors. Solana’s $1.796 billion also underscores its growing role in the DeFi landscape, despite it being relatively younger than Ethereum or BNB Chain.

Emerging Chains: Base, SEI, SUI, and Aptos Making Waves

Among the rising contenders:

SEI Network, a blockchain optimized for trading, registered 3.24 million active addresses, highlighting its niche traction.
Aptos, backed by Meta’s Diem developers, came in close with 2.89 million active addresses. Its Move programming language continues to attract developers looking for scalability and security.
Base, Coinbase’s Layer-2 solution built on Ethereum, generated $1.16 billion in DEX volume, showing promising signs of adoption just months after its launch.
SUI, the Layer-1 by Mysten Labs, posted $530 million in 24-hour trading volume, proving that the race for smart contract dominance is far from settled.

Key Metrics Summary

BlockchainActive Addresses (Weekly)Growth Rate (%)DEX Volume (24H)

Solana	28.18 million	1.9%	$1.796 billion
BNB Chain	10.14 million	N/A	$3.93 billion
Tron	5.86 million	N/A	Not disclosed
SEI	3.24 million	N/A	Not disclosed
Aptos	2.89 million	N/A	Not disclosed
Bitcoin	2.8 million	N/A	Not applicable
Ethereum	2.5 million	8.7%	$2.34 billion
Base	Not disclosed	N/A	$1.16 billion
SUI	Not disclosed	N/A	$530 million

Conclusion: Competitive Landscape Heats Up Among Layer-1 Blockchains

The latest data paints a clear picture: the Layer-1 and Layer-2 blockchain landscape is more competitive than ever. While Solana dominates in active user engagement, BNB Chain leads in liquidity and trading volume. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s robust growth rate suggests it's far from losing its leading position in smart contract development.

At the same time, newer chains like SEI, SUI, Base, and Aptos are steadily carving out niches by offering unique features, such as high-frequency trading optimization or developer-friendly programming languages.

For developers, investors, and users alike, these insights serve as a valuable compass for navigating the rapidly evolving Web3 ecosystem.