Ethereum and Layer-2 Solutions:

• Ethereum (ETH) will likely continue to dominate as a smart contract platform, with the Ethereum network benefiting from upgrades and continued development of layer-2 solutions like Optimism and Arbitrum. These improvements aim to increase transaction speeds and reduce fees, making Ethereum more scalable for decentralized applications (dApps).

• Ethereum may also continue to expand its use in DeFi (Decentralized Finance) and NFTs, though the market for NFTs might stabilize or shift focus toward more utilitarian applications like gaming and virtual goods.