ETH’s 180-Day Moving Average of New Smart Contracts Sets Record Levels
Overview
CryptoQuant data shows the 180-day moving average (MA) of new smart contracts on Ethereum (ETH) has reached an all-time high. This sustained growth over the past six months surpasses the peaks seen in 2021 and 2022, signaling strong and consistent developer engagement.
Pectra Upgrade as a Catalyst
The Pectra upgrade, implemented in 2025, has significantly improved Ethereum’s capabilities:
100,000 TPS throughput → unmatched scalability for blockchain applications.
90% lower gas fees → reduced cost barriers for deploying and interacting with contracts.
Expanded real-world use cases:
Aave in DeFi exceeding $10B daily volume.
OpenSea in NFTs processing over 1M daily transactions.
These upgrades have encouraged more developers to build applications ranging from finance to supply chains and real estate tokenization.
Key Takeaways
Sustained trend: The record high is part of a long, steady growth pattern — not a short-term spike.
Leading indicator: Historically, elevated smart contract creation often precedes ETH price rallies by several months.
Fundamentals matter: Network upgrades like Pectra remove technical bottlenecks while creating new commercial opportunities.
Risks to Monitor
A surge in low-quality or redundant contracts could inflate the metric.
To confirm long-term strength, track complementary metrics like Active Addresses, DeFi TVL, and Transaction Fees.
Market Outlook
With the synergy of Pectra’s scalability boost and record-breaking contract activity, Ethereum may be at the start of a development-led bull cycle. This momentum could attract both independent developers and institutional players, potentially driving increases in network usage and ETH’s market value.
Bottom Line: Ethereum’s developer economy is in overdrive, with Pectra acting as the ignition. Should this pace continue, the fundamentals point toward stronger activity and valuations in the coming months.
Written by CryptoOnchain
