The blockchain landscape is evolving fast, with new networks offering better speed, lower fees, and more flexibility. As we approach 2025, choosing the right Layer 1 blockchain is more important than ever. Whether you’re a developer launching the next big dApp or an investor eyeing high-potential platforms, knowing what sets each blockchain apart is key.
Layer 1 blockchains are the backbone of crypto. They handle transactions, run smart contracts, and support everything from DeFi and NFTs to gaming and social apps. But not all networks are built the same. Some focus on speed and scalability, while others emphasise decentralisation, security, or ease of development.
In this guide, we’ll highlight the top 10 Layer 1 blockchains to watch in 2025. We’ll cover established leaders and emerging contenders, breaking down their core features and why they matter in the next phase of Web3. Whether you’re just getting started or already deep into the space, this overview will give you a clearer picture of the platforms driving the future of decentralised tech.
Ethereum
Ethereum is one of the most influential blockchain networks, introducing smart contracts and dApps to the crypto world. Its native token, Ether (ETH), powers transactions and fuels all activity across the network. Today, ETH is the second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap, behind only Bitcoin, but it plays a much broader role than just transferring value.
Unlike Bitcoin, which is primarily used for payments and storage, Ethereum provides a flexible platform that enables developers to build complex applications directly on-chain. It operates without a central authority, instead being maintained by a global community of users and developers.
Vitalik Buterin proposed Ethereum in 2013, and the network launched in 2015 after two years of development. Buterin imagined Ethereum as a “smartphone” compared to Bitcoin’s “pocket calculator,” offering much more functionality. He was joined by co-founders such as Gavin Wood and Charles Hoskinson, who helped establish the Ethereum Foundation to guide its growth.
BNB Smart Chain
BNB Smart Chain (BSC), previously known as Binance Smart Chain, is a fast, low-cost blockchain built with support from Binance. It operates as an EVM-compatible L1 network, enabling developers to easily launch smart contracts and dApps.
BSC utilizes a Proof of Staked Authority consensus model, combining Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) and Proof of Authority (PoA) for efficient and decentralized operations. Validators are chosen through staking and earn transaction fees instead of new token rewards, helping to stabilize BNB’s supply.
BNB, which stands for “Build and Build,” is the network’s native token. It is used for paying transaction fees and participating in governance decisions. With block times averaging just three seconds, BSC offers fast and efficient transactions.
Solana
Solana is a fast, low-cost blockchain built to handle thousands of transactions per second, making it ideal for dApps, DeFi, and NFTs. It offers a strong alternative to Ethereum by focusing on speed, scalability, and affordability.
Solana’s key innovation is its hybrid consensus model combining Proof of History (PoH) and PoS. PoH creates a clear timeline of transactions, while PoS secures the network through validators who stake SOL, the platform’s native token.
This design enables Solana to process up to 65,000 transactions per second at a fraction of a cent in fees. Its efficiency comes from Sealevel, a parallel processing engine that allows multiple smart contracts to run simultaneously – unlike Ethereum’s sequential approach.
SOL is used for transaction fees, staking, executing smart contracts, and governance. With a growing developer community and an expanding ecosystem, Solana is solidifying its position as one of the leading blockchains in Web3.
Cardano
Cardano is a Layer 1 blockchain built to support secure, scalable dApps. It powers DeFi platforms, NFTs, gaming, and digital payments, and is known for its science-based, peer-reviewed development approach, which prioritises long-term security and sustainability.
Its architecture is split into two layers: the Cardano Settlement Layer (CSL) for ADA transactions, and the Cardano Computation Layer (CCL) for smart contracts. This design boosts both flexibility and performance.
Cardano uses Ouroboros, an energy-efficient PoS protocol, for fast and secure transactions. Its native token, ADA, is used for fees, staking, and governance. Users can stake directly or delegate to pools to earn rewards. The Daedalus wallet provides secure, full-node storage, while developers can build applications using Plutus, Cardano’s smart contract language.
The platform’s roadmap includes five phases: Byron (foundation), Shelley (decentralisation), Goguen (smart contracts), Basho (scaling), and Voltaire (governance). Each stage builds towards a decentralised, community-led network.
Tron Chain
Tron is a blockchain platform built for developing dApps using smart contracts. It was initially focused on helping content creators share and monetize media without intermediaries, but has since evolved into a broader mission – powering a decentralized internet with a focus on speed, scalability, and user experience.
Originally launched on Ethereum, Tron later moved to its blockchain to gain more control over its infrastructure. This shift enabled the growth of diverse decentralised projects, including DeFi apps, play-to-earn games, and media platforms. Its native token, TRX, powers transactions, governance, and resource allocation.
Tron utilizes a DPoS consensus mechanism, enabling it to handle high transaction volumes with minimal energy costs. The network is built across three layers – storage, core, and application – and runs on the Tron Virtual Machine, which is Ethereum-compatible and supports a wide range of smart contracts.
Sui
Sui is a fast, scalable Layer 1 blockchain created by Mysten Labs, a team of former Meta engineers. Launched in May 2023, it’s designed for high-performance dApps across DeFi, NFTs, and Web3. What makes Sui unique is its use of parallel transaction processing, allowing it to handle multiple transactions simultaneously. This makes it much faster than blockchains that process transactions one at a time.
Sui is built on Move, a programming language initially developed for Meta’s Diem project. Move helps developers build secure applications by clearly defining asset ownership and reducing risks like reentrancy attacks.
The network uses DPoS, where validators secure the chain and earn rewards. For basic transactions, such as transfers, Sui skips full consensus, thereby boosting speed. More complex operations use Narwhal and Bullshark, two systems that handle secure ordering and validation.
Thanks to its parallel processing, Sui can reach speeds of up to 125,000 transactions per second, with fees as low as $0.001. This makes it an attractive option for developers building cost-effective, responsive dApps.
Avalanche
Avalanche is a fast, scalable Layer 1 blockchain launched in 2020 by Ava Labs. It utilizes a unique three-chain system – the C-Chain for smart contracts, the P-Chain for staking and validators, and the X-Chain for asset creation – to divide tasks and enhance efficiency across the network.
What sets Avalanche apart is its support for custom blockchains, known as Avalanche Layer 1s (formerly Subnets). These application-specific chains operate independently within the Avalanche ecosystem, providing developers with flexibility and scalability. Over 30 active Layer 1s already operate on the platform, supporting sectors like gaming, DeFi, and enterprise tools.
Avalanche also features an innovative consensus mechanism based on repeated random sampling among validators. This method allows for fast, secure confirmation of transactions – typically in under one second – while remaining energy-efficient.
AVAX, the native token, powers the network by covering transaction fees, enabling staking, and supporting governance.
The ecosystem is rapidly growing, with notable projects like DeFi Kingdoms, SHRAPNEL, and Konami’s Resella building on Avalanche. Backed by major investors such as a16z and Polychain Capital, Avalanche is emerging as a leading solution for fast, customizable, and scalable blockchain development in the Web3 space.
The Open Network
The Open Network (TON) is a fast and scalable blockchain designed to deliver a seamless user experience. Originally developed in 2018 by Telegram founders Pavel and Nikolai Durov, TON aimed to bring blockchain features directly into the Telegram app. After legal pressure from the U.S. SEC, Telegram stepped back in 2020, and an open-source community took over the project’s development.
TON uses a PoS consensus mechanism and a unique multi-chain structure that includes a masterchain and many workchains. This setup allows the network to scale efficiently and process millions of transactions per second.
What sets TON apart is its combination of speed, flexibility, and seamless Telegram integration. With support for sharding, cross-chain communication, and decentralization, TON can power a wide range of applications, including payments, DeFi, games, and Telegram-based mini-apps.
Toncoin is the native token used for gas fees, validator rewards, and governance. As Telegram’s ecosystem continues to grow, TON is well-positioned to become a leading Web3 platform, combining powerful tech with access to one of the world’s largest messaging user bases.
Aptos
Aptos is a high-speed Layer 1 blockchain built to power the next generation of Web3 apps with speed, security, and scalability. Launched on October 17, 2022, the project was created by ex-Meta engineers who had previously worked on the Diem blockchain. They carried over their vision to build a more efficient decentralised infrastructure using the Move programming language.
What sets Aptos apart is its parallel execution engine, which enables the simultaneous processing of multiple transactions. This enables the network to process up to 160,000 transactions per second while maintaining low fees. It uses Block-STM technology to manage smart contracts efficiently and securely, while the Move language helps protect against bugs and exploits.
Aptos operates on a Proof-of-Stake system and utilizes Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) to maintain decentralization and resilience. It supports a wide range of use cases, including DeFi, NFTs, gaming, social apps, and AI tools.
Celestia
Celestia is a modular Layer 1 blockchain designed to solve a key blockchain challenge: data availability. Unlike traditional blockchains that combine consensus, execution, and data handling on a single layer, Celestia separates these functions. Its primary role is to sequence transactions and verify data availability, allowing developers to build custom blockchains without needing to manage full infrastructure.
At the heart of Celestia is Data Availability Sampling (DAS), a method that allows light nodes to verify if block data is available without downloading the entire block. As more light nodes join, the network becomes more scalable and secure, solving issues like blockchain bloat while maintaining decentralisation.
Celestia runs on a Proof-of-Stake model, powered by celestia-app – a refined version of the Tendermint protocol. It also uses fraud proofs and Namespace Merkle Trees (NMTs), which let apps retrieve only the data they need, improving performance and efficiency.
The native token, TIA, is used for staking, governance, and paying for data storage. It can also act as gas for new chains built on Celestia. With a fixed supply of 1 billion and decreasing inflation, TIA is designed for long-term sustainability in the modular blockchain ecosystem.
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