Ethereum usage hits record with lower costs and improved network conditions

Source: PortaldoBitcoin Original Title: Ethereum usage hits record with lower costs and improved network conditions Original Link: https://portaldobitcoin.uol.com.br/uso-do-ethereum-bate-recorde-com-queda-de-custos-e-melhoria-das-condicoes-da-rede/ Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain network in the world, is being used more than ever, with daily transactions reaching record levels and fees dropping to the lowest levels in the past two years.

The changes occur at a time when the network shows signs of operational stability, even as co-founder Vitalik Buterin warns that keeping Ethereum understandable and simple will be as important as scaling it further.

Blockchain tracker data shows that the number of daily Ethereum transactions has surpassed previous peaks set during the 2021 market cycle, while average transaction fees have fallen to a fraction of the historical average.

Compared to two weeks ago, Ethereum’s average daily transactions increased by 14% over the past two weeks, rising from 1.8 million to 2.1 million, according to on-chain data collected by the block explorer.

This simultaneous increase in processing capacity and decrease in cost reflects the success of Ethereum’s modular scalability architecture, particularly EIP-4844 and its recent blob capacity upgrade, which allows layer 2 servers to publish more data on the mainnet at a much lower cost.

Most usage comes from transfers and payments with stablecoins, led by Tether’s USDT, with a volume roughly twice that of USDC. With gas prices remaining low, this activity appears highly sustainable, aligning with the broader trend of integrating traditional payments expanding across Ethereum-based infrastructures.

Changes and alerts

At the same time, the validator exit queue has dropped to zero, as approximately 30% of all Ethereum is now staked.

The validator exit queue monitors how many participants are waiting to leave the proof-of-stake (proof-of-stake) Ethereum system and withdraw their funds. When the queue is empty, it means no validator is waiting to exit at the same time, suggesting that staking incentives are balanced and there is no immediate pressure from participants eager to leave the network.

Validator exits fell from a peak of 2.67 million ETH in September 2025 to zero, while about 2.6 million ETH are now in the queue to stake, the highest level since July 2023.

On Ethereum, validators must signal an exit before withdrawing funds, and the process is deliberately delayed to protect network security. Changes in the exit queue are therefore seen as a sign of validator confidence.

Almost no validator exits suggest a balance between operational costs and staking rewards, a sign of stability and trust. It also implies that participants are accumulating rather than leaving, keeping capital committed and liquid for future flexibility in more volatile environments.

This follows co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s warning that the long-term health of the network depends on resistance to protocol bloat.

“One of my concerns with the development of the Ethereum protocol is that we may be too eager to add new features to meet very specific needs, even if these features bloat the protocol or add new types of interactive components or complex cryptography as critical dependencies,” Buterin wrote.

Every mature software system accumulates some complexity, and Ethereum is no different. While this ‘bloat’ does not impair current performance, continuous optimization becomes essential.

Data shows that Ethereum can now scale sustainably, which means Ethereum must also simplify sustainably to preserve long-term resilience and agility.