Ethereum is a layer 1 (L1) blockchain, meaning it is the base of the network itself. Above it, there are protocols and assets that operate on layer 2 (L2) — such as scalability networks (e.g., Arbitrum, Optimism), as well as tokens and dApps built on the Ethereum ecosystem.
I will divide the answer into two parts:
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## 🟢 Part 1: Native Layer 1 Tokens and Projects on Ethereum (L1)
These are the assets that run directly on the Ethereum protocol (base layer):
### 1. ETH (Ether)
- Classification: Native coin / utility token
- Function: Fuel of the Ethereum network; pays fees (gas) and is used for staking after the Merge.
- Token Type: It is not an ERC-20 token, as it is the native currency of the network.
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## 🔵 Part 2: Tokens and Layer 2 (L2) Blockchains and Sidechains
These are projects built on Ethereum, optimized for scalability, speed, and reduced cost.
### ⚙️ L2 Networks (Rollups and others):
Operate with security derived from Ethereum.
#### 1. Arbitrum
- Classification: Optimized Rollup (Optimistic Rollup)
- Token: ARB (governance token)
- Total supply: ~10 billion (inflationary)
#### 2. Optimism (OP)
- Classification: Optimized Rollup
- Token: OP (governance)
- Initial supply: 4.3 billion (controlled by DAO)
#### 3. zkSync Era (does not have its own token yet)
- Classification: ZK-Rollup
- Token: None so far (May 2025)
#### 4. StarkNet
- Classification: ZK-Rollup
- Token: Not yet officially launched (in development)
#### 5. Base (by Coinbase)
- Classification: Optimized Rollup
- Token: Does not have a native token (until May 2025)
#### 6. Linea (by ConsenSys)
- Classification: ZK-Rollup
- Token: In development or recently launched
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### 🔄 Sidechains (not true L2s, but connected to Ethereum):
These are parallel chains with their own consensus mechanisms, but interoperable with Ethereum.
#### 1. Polygon PoS
- Classification: Sidechain
- Token: MATIC
- Function: Used for fees and staking
#### 2. Gnosis Chain
- Classification: Sidechain
- Token: xDAI (stablecoin soft pegged to the dollar)
- Another token: GNOSIS (for auctions and governance)
#### 3. Celo
- Classification: EVM compatible, sidechain
- Main tokens: CELO (governance/staking), cUSD/cEUR (stablecoins)
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## 🧩 Part 3: Standard ERC Tokens (tokens created on Ethereum)
There are thousands, but some of the most famous are:
### Main ERC-20 Tokens:
| Token | Name | Classification |
|-------|------|---------------|
| USDT | Tether | Stablecoin |
| USDC | USD Coin | Stablecoin |
| DAI | DAI | Decentralized stablecoin |
| UNI | Uniswap | Governance |
| LINK | Chainlink | Oracle infrastructure |
| AAVE | Aave | DeFi/lending |
| CRV | Curve Finance | DeFi/liquidity pools |
| MKR | MakerDAO | Governance and DAI stabilization |
| SUSHI | SushiSwap | Governance and decentralized exchange |
| COMP | Compound | Governance and DeFi |
| BAL | Balancer | Governance and AMM |
| YFI | Yearn.finance | DeFi yield aggregator |
| SNX | Synthetix | DeFi/synthetics |
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## 📌 Layer Summary
| Layer | Type | Examples |
|--------|------|----------|
| L1 Ethereum | Base blockchain | ETH |
| L2 (Rollups) | Scalability | Arbitrum, Optimism, zkSync, StarkNet |
| Sidechains | Parallel chains | Polygon PoS, Gnosis Chain |
| ERC Tokens | Assets on Ethereum | USDT, DAI, UNI, LINK, AAVE, etc. |
