2025 Must-Watch Layer 1 Blockchains: Your Complete Guide to Top Layer-1 Projects

The cryptocurrency landscape continues to evolve around Layer-1 blockchains, which serve as the fundamental infrastructure for decentralized digital assets. These base-layer networks process and finalize transactions independently, distinguishing themselves from Layer-2 solutions that build atop existing chains. Understanding the distinctions between these architectures and tracking leading Layer-1 projects has become essential for navigating the blockchain space in 2025.

Understanding Layer 1 Architecture

Layer-1 blockchains represent the foundational networks where transaction finality occurs and records are permanently stored. Unlike scaling solutions, Layer-1 protocols operate as autonomous networks featuring their own consensus mechanisms and security frameworks. This independence enables true decentralization while maintaining transparent, immutable transaction histories across the ecosystem.

Core Advantages of Base-Layer Networks

Security Through Decentralization Layer-1 networks eliminate single points of failure by distributing validation across numerous participants. No centralized authority controls transaction approval, ensuring permanent transaction records and complete transparency for all network participants.

Independent Operations These networks execute smart contracts and process transactions autonomously. Various consensus approaches—including Proof of Work and Proof of Stake mechanisms—validate transactions while maintaining network integrity without requiring external verification systems.

Native Token Economics Layer-1 blockchains feature integrated token systems serving multiple functions within their ecosystems. These native assets facilitate transaction fee payments, validator staking, governance voting, and network participation incentives.

Developer Foundation As foundational infrastructure, Layer-1 networks attract extensive developer integration and support multiple service implementations. This creates flexible ecosystems where builders construct diverse decentralized applications and financial protocols.

Network Effects and Stability Established Layer-1 projects benefit from growing user bases and accumulated value. While experiencing greater congestion than Layer-2 solutions, these networks demonstrate superior resilience and provide the settlement certainty that scaling layers depend upon.

Examining the Top Layer-1 Blockchains

Solana (SOL) - High-Performance Computing

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $3.46 billion
• Market Cap: $69.54 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -37.34%
• Current Price: $123.60

Solana distinguishes itself through exceptional transaction velocity and minimal costs. The blockchain’s Proof of History consensus mechanism, combined with Proof of Stake validation, achieves remarkable processing speeds compared to traditional architectures. Transaction fees remain negligible while the network processes thousands of operations per second.

The ecosystem expanded substantially throughout 2023-2024, with infrastructure improvements through Firedancer—a major validator upgrade targeting significant throughput increases. Solana’s validator network expanded beyond 2,000 nodes, emphasizing decentralization commitments.

The project witnessed ecosystem diversification including memecoin launches like BONK with corresponding airdrops, advanced staking protocols such as Jito and Marinade Finance, thriving NFT marketplaces, and innovative applications ranging from mobile payments to gaming platforms. Jupiter emerged as a critical DeFi component, introducing new routing capabilities and JUP governance tokens. Strategic partnerships with major cloud infrastructure providers enhanced network transparency and simplified node deployment.

The Solana Saga smartphone initiative, featuring BONK airdrops, signaled expansion into Web3 consumer hardware. Collaborations with Helium for mobile connectivity demonstrated the ecosystem’s ambitions beyond financial applications.

Avalanche (AVAX) - Sub-Second Finality

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $1.5 billion
• Market Cap: $5.36 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -69.05%
• Current Price: $12.47

Avalanche delivers transaction finality in under two seconds through its unique consensus model combining Classical and Nakamoto principles. This architectural approach provides compelling security, scalability, and decentralization characteristics unavailable in traditional blockchain designs.

The platform supports multiple interconnected subnetworks within a unified ecosystem. AVAX tokens function as transaction fuel, network security collateral through staking, and unit of account across various blockchain applications.

During 2023, Avalanche’s C-Chain recorded 3.07 million transactions—a network milestone reflecting expanding adoption rates. Inscription transactions subsequently dominated network activity, representing over 50% of total throughput. This surge coincided with significant fee escalation, with users collectively paying $13.8 million in transaction fees within five days for inscription-related minting.

The network processed 2.3 million daily transactions on certain peak days compared to typical 450,000 transaction daily averages. This activity surge corresponded with increased AVAX token burning as inscription registrations proliferated. The platform demonstrated capacity for 40+ transactions per second with one-second block finality during peak periods.

Major partnerships, including integration with institutional blockchain infrastructure providers, validated Avalanche’s utility across traditional finance sectors.

Kaspa (KAS) - Scalable Proof-of-Work

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: Not Available
• Market Cap: $1.21 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -62.20%
• Current Price: $0.05

Kaspa implements the GHOSTDAG consensus mechanism, enabling rapid transaction processing and exceptional network scalability. The approach balances high block production rates with instant transaction finality, addressing traditional blockchain speed limitations.

The Dag Knight consensus upgrade—an evolution of GHOSTDAG—enhanced blockchain efficiency substantially. Migration from GoLang to Rust programming language unlocked additional performance gains by utilizing modern hardware capabilities more effectively.

Throughout 2023, Kaspa increased processed blocks and transactions per second significantly. A sophisticated mobile wallet launched addressing mobile cryptocurrency management demand. P2P communication improvements for archival nodes enabled extended historical data availability and retrieval capabilities.

The KAS token demonstrated extraordinary appreciation exceeding 1,800% during 2023, reflecting ecosystem momentum and growing adoption. Project developers positioned Kaspa as a rapid, scalable, secure Layer-1 Proof-of-Work platform featuring robust smart contract and decentralized application support.

Bitcoin (BTC) - Digital Store of Value

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $1.1 billion
• Market Cap: $1,768.98 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -10.91%
• Current Price: $88.59K

Bitcoin pioneered decentralized cryptocurrency technology and maintains unique status as the most recognized, widely-adopted digital currency globally. Its revolutionary blockchain architecture established the foundation upon which the entire industry developed.

As the original cryptocurrency, Bitcoin serves dual economic functions: representing financial value transfer and operating as a decentralized reserve asset. The fixed 21-million-coin supply combined with algorithmic scarcity mechanisms justifies Bitcoin’s “digital gold” designation by many investors.

Bitcoin halving events, occurring approximately every four years, reduce miner rewards by fifty percent and meaningfully affect token supply dynamics. These periodic reductions create natural scarcity escalation during specific market cycles.

The 2023-2024 period witnessed significant ecosystem expansion. Bitcoin Ordinals protocol enabled direct NFT minting on the mainchain, spawning token standards including ORDI, SATS, RATS, and DOVI tokens. Infrastructure advances and developer incentive programs accelerated Bitcoin ecosystem momentum despite earlier network limitations.

Parallel sidechains and Bitcoin Layer-2 solutions—notably Stacks—addressed smart contract execution constraints, unlocking complex DeFi protocol possibilities. Additional protocols like Atomicals and ARC20 utilized Bitcoin’s smallest unit (satoshis) for token representation. The Taproot Assets protocol, released by Lightning Labs, demonstrated Bitcoin’s capability for recording diverse asset types within UTXO scripts, showcasing remarkable versatility.

The Open Network (TON) - Telegram’s Vision

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $145 million
• Market Cap: $3.76 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -74.22%
• Current Price: $1.53

The Open Network originated from Telegram founders’ vision for scalable blockchain infrastructure. Following regulatory challenges with U.S. authorities regarding its initial token sale (which raised $1.7 billion), Telegram withdrawn official involvement in 2020. Development transitioned to the TON Foundation and independent developer communities under the NewTON initiative.

Multi-level network architecture incorporating sharding mechanisms manages high transaction volumes while maintaining efficiency. Toncoin, the network’s native asset, enables transaction processing, governance participation, validator staking, and access to decentralized storage services.

The ecosystem expanded substantially, encompassing social platforms, DeFi protocols, and NFT marketplaces fostering vibrant development activity. 2023 introduced significant capabilities including decentralized file storage infrastructure and specialized payment systems supporting rapid off-chain transactions.

March 2024 brought transformative news when Telegram announced plans to distribute 50% of platform advertising revenue to content creators via Toncoin payments processed through TON blockchain infrastructure. This development provided tangible utility linkage between Telegram’s massive user base and the blockchain network, subsequently driving 40% Toncoin appreciation.

Potential Telegram initial public offering (IPO) represents significant catalyst for ecosystem development. Deeper blockchain integration leveraging Toncoin across Telegram’s extensive user base could substantially enhance token utility and market demand.

Internet Computer (ICP) - Serverless Computing Layer

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $88 million
• Market Cap: $1.66 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -72.86%
• Current Price: $3.03

Internet Computer, developed by DFINITY Foundation, extends blockchain capabilities beyond traditional limitations. The platform enables complete software systems and smart contracts to operate directly on-chain, reimagining internet infrastructure through decentralized computing paradigms.

The blockchain’s distinctive consensus mechanism achieves exceptional transaction throughput and scalability. Internet Computer’s mission centers on fundamentally reinventing internet architecture through decentralized serverless cloud computing infrastructure.

ICP tokens function for transaction processing, smart contract execution, protocol governance via the Network Nervous System (NNS), and rewarding network participants.

Significant 2023 advancements enhanced computing capabilities substantially. Websocket integration enabled real-time interactive applications. Expanded stable memory supported increasingly complex applications. Canisters acquired secure HTTPS calling capabilities enabling Web 2.0 system integration. Bitcoin network direct integration streamlined cross-blockchain transactions, eliminating intermediary requirements.

Permissionless token issuance capabilities supported DAO governance initiatives, bolstered through the Service Nervous System (SNS) expanding decentralized autonomous organization participation. DFINITY’s grant programs stimulated ecosystem growth, while community-driven NFT and social media projects demonstrated organic ecosystem vitality and creative potential.

Sei (SEI) - Specialized Trading Infrastructure

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $27 million
• Market Cap: $723.76 million
• 1-Year Performance: -75.52%
• Current Price: $0.11

Sei represents a purpose-built Layer-1 optimized specifically for decentralized finance operations. The network emphasizes high-speed trading environments and efficient financial transaction processing through specialized architecture.

Distinguished by native matching engine integration and optimized order book functionality, Sei significantly reduces trading latency compared to conventional decentralized exchange implementations. SEI tokens facilitate transaction fee payments, governance participation, and network security mechanisms.

The Sei Ecosystem Fund expanded substantially with strategic capital allocation. Foresight Ventures contributed $50 million building upon earlier $30 million funding rounds, directing capital toward NFT projects, gaming applications, and DeFi protocol development.

Growth strategies emphasized Asian market penetration, recognizing the region’s technological sophistication and elevated cryptocurrency adoption levels. Strategic partnerships like Graviton expanded capabilities in emerging markets.

Chain-level performance optimizations enhanced decentralized exchange and trading application functionality, making the platform increasingly attractive to protocol developers. The ecosystem fund actively supports early-stage founders and innovation teams, promoting ecosystem expansion and technological advancement.

Sui (SUI) - Move Language Innovation

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $557 million
• Market Cap: $5.25 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -68.75%
• Current Price: $1.41

Sui emerges as a contemporary blockchain platform prioritizing high throughput and scalability. The network enables diverse decentralized applications through rapid, cost-effective transaction processing. Innovative consensus mechanisms combined with Move programming language utilization provide distinctive developer security and flexibility advantages.

SUI tokens serve transaction fee requirements, network governance participation, and emerging utility functions as the ecosystem develops.

Following mainnet launch and major exchange listings, Sui demonstrated remarkable scalability with daily transaction volumes reaching 65.8 million during peak periods. Total Value Locked peaked at $188 million, securing top-10 blockchain positioning by TVL metrics during 2023.

zkLogin introduction revolutionized application access through enhanced privacy mechanisms utilizing Web 2.0 social credentials. The TurboStar program on Turbos DEX supported ecosystem project fundraising, community awareness, and investor protection through zero-commission structures for Sui-native projects.

Strategic token allocations directed 157 million SUI toward community and DeFi initiatives, supporting ecosystem development priorities.

Aptos (APT) - Parallel Execution Engine

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $342 million
• Market Cap: $1.27 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -82.28%
• Current Price: $1.69

Aptos distinguishes itself through focus on scalability, reliability, and user-centric design principles. Move programming language utilization enables secure, flexible smart contract development. The parallel execution engine delivers exceptional transaction velocity and throughput characteristics.

APT tokens facilitate transaction fees, governance participation, and potential network security staking mechanisms.

Impressive funding from major venture capital firms including Tiger Global and PayPal Ventures exceeded $400 million, providing substantial ecosystem development resources. Technological capabilities showcasing Move language and parallel execution mechanisms supported TVL exceeding $85 million, indicating growing adoption confidence.

Network activity frequently reached hundreds of thousands of daily transactions with accelerating new user account creation. Strategic partnerships expanded ecosystem capabilities: Sushi integration enhanced decentralized finance services, Coinbase Pay collaboration enabled seamless Petra wallet transactions, gaming ventures with Microsoft and international entertainment companies opened new application categories.

Infrastructure advancements introduced specialized Digital Asset Standards for real-world applications, NFT notification systems, and advanced multi-signature security solutions through partnerships like MSafe.

Polkadot (DOT) - Interoperability Framework

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $230 million
• Market Cap: $2.83 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -77.14%
• Current Price: $1.72

Polkadot functions as a multi-chain coordination network enabling specialized blockchains to communicate and exchange value while maintaining trust-minimized interactions. The platform’s primary strength centers on enabling diverse blockchains to share security, messaging, and value through centralized relay chain architecture.

Interoperability through interconnected parachains allows specialized blockchains to preserve individual characteristics while pooling collective security resources. DOT tokens enable governance participation, validator staking, and parachain bonding mechanisms.

2023 development achievements included record 19,090 GitHub developer contributions during March alone, signaling robust ecosystem vitality. Parathreads introduced cost-effective blockchain onboarding models, while Next-Generation Scheduling improved network scalability and architectural flexibility.

Polkadot 2.0 announcement promised substantial governance, scalability, and interoperability improvements. Nomination Pools feature increased by 49%, broadening staking participation and enhancing network security through greater validator diversity.

Major integrations including USDC stablecoin support and Rocco testnet launches optimized transaction processing and improved user experiences. Five new parachains joined the ecosystem alongside scalability improvements and institutional investor recruitment initiatives including custody service offerings.

Cosmos (ATOM) - Inter-Blockchain Communication

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $1.25 million (CosmosHub)
• Market Cap: $982.84 million
• 1-Year Performance: -70.82%
• Current Price: $2.03

Cosmos addresses scalability and interoperability challenges through decentralized blockchain networks maintaining independent operations. The Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol represents the network’s defining strength, enabling diverse blockchains to interact and share information while preserving sovereign control.

ATOM tokens secure the network through staking mechanisms and facilitate governance decisions regarding network evolution.

Ecosystem growth accelerated through Interchain Security introduction, strengthening smaller blockchain security throughout the network. CosmosHub on-chain activity surged with average 500,000 daily transactions and 20 million ATOM trading volumes, reflecting expanding adoption.

Theta upgrade introduced Interchain Accounts facilitating enhanced cross-chain interactions. Rho upgrade delivered Liquid Staking capabilities and native NFT module functionality, expanding platform utilities substantially.

Cosmos Hub 2.0 whitepaper detailed evolving ecosystem vision and ATOM token economics progression. Interchain Foundation’s $26.4 million allocation supporting Interchain Stack development through 2024 signaled continuing commitment. Investor confidence reflected through dYdX migration, Noble’s USDC integration, and generally optimistic market sentiment point toward substantial capital inflows and ecosystem expansion potential.

Ethereum (ETH) - Developer Ecosystem Leader

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $49 billion
• Market Cap: $357.93 billion
• 1-Year Performance: -15.21%
• Current Price: $2.97K

Ethereum leads Layer-1 networks through the largest developer community and most extensive dApp ecosystem globally, supporting over 3,000 active applications. Since 2015 launch by Vitalik Buterin and collaborators, Ethereum transcended initial digital currency roles to become the dominant decentralized application platform, NFT marketplace, and DeFi infrastructure.

Ethereum provides decentralized, open-source blockchain infrastructure enabling developers to build and deploy applications without central authority intermediaries. Ether (ETH) functions as native ecosystem currency enabling transaction execution and smart contract deployment.

The network’s primary advantage stems from early establishment and accumulated developer expertise across multiple technology layers. This community created extensive tools, frameworks, and protocols driving continuous innovation and ecosystem expansion.

2023-2024 advancement toward Ethereum 2.0 included substantial Layer-2 scaling solution improvements. Rollup technologies significantly reduced transaction fees while expanding throughput capacity. Continued 2024 focus emphasizes scalability and energy efficiency through Proof-of-Stake consensus completion.

Layer-2 solution proliferation combined with potential blockchain interoperability improvements suggest Ethereum’s ecosystem becoming increasingly interconnected, scalable, and accessible than ever before.

BNB Chain (BNB) - Binance Ecosystem Hub

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $5.2 billion
• Market Cap: $115.64 billion
• 1-Year Performance: +19.52%
• Current Price: $839.60

BNB Chain, formerly Binance Smart Chain (BSC), provides high-performance smart contract execution alongside Binance Chain. The dual-chain architecture enables seamless asset transfers between networks supporting diverse applications including decentralized finance, NFTs, and gaming initiatives.

BNB Chain distinguishes itself through dual-chain design enabling cross-blockchain asset movement. The ecosystem encompasses over 1,300 active dApps as of late 2023, expanding rapidly through developer attraction initiatives.

BNB tokens serve as platform operational currency with extensive adoption throughout the Binance ecosystem and beyond. PoSA consensus mechanism delivers faster, cheaper transactions compared to Ethereum’s current architecture. Ethereum-compatible tooling and dApp support lower developer entry barriers for ecosystem migration.

2023 saw formal rebranding emphasizing broader vision beyond exchange integration, highlighting DeFi and NFT ecosystem roles. Separate Proof-of-Stake chain introduction enhanced network security and decentralization characteristics. Cross-chain bridge expansion improved interoperability between BNB Chain and alternative blockchain ecosystems.

2024 expectations anticipate scalability advancement through Layer-2 integration and potential sharding implementation. Strategic partnerships, innovative DeFi protocols, and NFT platform launches will continue defining BNB Chain’s competitive positioning.

Kava (KAVA) - EVM-Cosmos Bridge

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $193 million
• Market Cap: $82.72 million
• 1-Year Performance: -84.06%
• Current Price: $0.08

Kava uniquely combines Cosmos SDK scalability and interoperability advantages with EVM-compatible chain architecture. This “co-chain” design positions Kava as an innovative DeFi hub leveraging Cosmos ecosystem strengths while supporting Ethereum application migration.

Compared to established giants, Kava maintains smaller yet rapidly expanding ecosystem with 110+ active dApps and $250 million+ TVL. KAVA tokens facilitate platform governance, staking for network security, and fueling DeFi activities.

The blockchain leverages Cosmos’ Tendermint BFT consensus, ensuring robust security and attack resistance. Native USD-pegged stablecoin USDX enables decentralized lending and borrowing without centralized oracle reliance.

Kava 14 upgrade introduced USDt minting capabilities directly on Cosmos, supported through strategic partnerships and integrations enhancing DeFi liquidity and usability. Throughout 2023, Kava 12 and Kava 13 upgrades focused on Cosmos DAO flexibility, ecosystem scaling, and user experience optimization.

Critical “Kava Tokenomics 2.0” upgrade introduced fixed token supplies promoting adoption and scarcity mechanics potentially influencing market dynamics. Community-controlled Strategic Vault comprising $300+ million in assets demonstrates deepened decentralization and community value commitment.

ZetaChain (ZETA) - Omnichain Connectivity

Current Metrics (2025)

• TVL: $3.25 million
• Market Cap: $80.44 million
• 1-Year Performance: -88.84%
• Current Price: $0.07

ZetaChain pursues revolutionary interoperability through “omnichain” architecture enabling connections with any blockchain regardless of native architecture or smart contract capabilities. This approach enables frictionless asset transfers, information exchange, and cross-chain smart contract execution, fostering unified Web3 experiences.

As a March 2023 launch, ZetaChain represents an emerging ecosystem rapidly expanding capabilities. Current ecosystem features 20+ active dApps alongside strategic partnerships with notable projects like Chainlink and The Sandbox.

Omnichain smart contract capabilities enable seamless cross-chain blockchain interactions, solving multi-chain environment challenges and providing developers with valuable interoperable solutions for DeFi applications.

2023 achievements included surpassing 1,000,000 active testnet users representing 100+ countries. The platform processed 6.3 million+ cross-chain transactions and supported 200+ dApp deployments on testnet infrastructure, indicating robust ecosystem development momentum.

Strategic partnerships with Ankr Protocol accelerated Web3 infrastructure access. $27 million funding round supported ecosystem interoperability advancement. Collaborations with BYTE CITY and Ultiverse introduced cross-chain functionality into social entertainment and gaming, respectively, expanding ZetaChain utility and market reach.

Layer 1 and Layer 2: Complementary Evolution

Layer-1 and Layer-2 development reflects blockchain technology’s dynamic maturation. While Layer-2 solutions address throughput and speed limitations, Layer-1 networks remain fundamental infrastructure ensuring security, decentralization, and foundational reliability.

Layer-1 and Layer-2 relationship demonstrates symbiotic interdependence. Layer-2 improvements require Layer-1’s underlying security and decentralization assurances. Conversely, Layer-1 advancements—such as sharding implementations—enhance Layer-2 performance capabilities.

This dual-layer evolution approach will continue as mainstream blockchain adoption expands, requiring balanced solutions addressing security, decentralization, scalability, and transaction velocity simultaneously.

Summary

Layer-1 blockchains continue anchoring cryptocurrency infrastructure as 2025 progresses. Ongoing evolution addressing diverse ecosystem requirements proves essential as applications expand toward mainstream adoption. Bitcoin’s unmatched security, Solana’s exceptional speed, Ethereum’s developer ecosystem dominance, and specialized Layer-1 platforms each contribute unique capabilities reshaping the blockchain landscape.

Layer-2 solutions enhance performance while remaining dependent upon Layer-1 security and decentralization foundations. This interdependence creates balance: Layer-1 provides secure, decentralized infrastructure while Layer-2 delivers scalability and speed necessary for mass adoption.