Ethereum continues to dominate the blockchain sector in July 2025, maintaining a Total Value Locked (TVL) of approximately $84.7 billion, significantly outpacing its top competitors like Solana and BNB Chain [1]. This substantial TVL underscores Ethereum’s strong market trust and foundational role in decentralized finance (DeFi), catalyzing innovation and competition across the broader blockchain ecosystem [1].

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has emphasized the importance of scaling through Layer 2 solutions and the deployment of Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs). According to Buterin, Layer 2s are essential for expanding Ethereum’s DeFi infrastructure while maintaining decentralization and security. He anticipates that TVL will shift across chains with each new wave of rollups and scaling innovations [1].

Meanwhile, Solana’s TVL has grown to $10.1 billion, driven primarily by increased DeFi activity and stablecoin adoption. This growth reflects the network’s improved throughput and composability, as noted by Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko. Financially, Ethereum has seen a surge in on-chain fee revenue, while Solana’s DeFi expansion has attracted growing institutional and retail interest [1].

Ethereum’s TVL remains a key barometer for the broader market’s performance. Historically, TVL has spiked in response to major protocol upgrades and broader market cycles. The ongoing evolution of governance tokens also continues to be influenced by TVL dynamics [1].

Looking ahead, Ethereum’s focus is on scalability and reducing network congestion. This aligns with historical patterns seen during previous bull markets, suggesting potential for future performance improvements [1].

In addition to TVL, Ethereum’s on-chain activity highlights its enduring influence. As of July 24, 2025, the network had 7,864 active developers working on 113,103 repositories, with over 58 million commits recorded. This level of developer engagement reinforces Ethereum’s appeal to Web3 projects and its central role in the blockchain space [2]. The price of ETH also surged by 60% in July 2025, driven by $5.4 billion in ETF inflows and increased whale accumulation, bringing the asset closer to the $4,000 level [3].

While Ethereum’s TVL has not reached the $180 billion peak seen in late 2021, its continued leadership in DeFi infrastructure demonstrates adaptability across market cycles [9]. Analysts predict Ethereum could stabilize between $3,000 and $5,000 in 2025, depending on macroeconomic conditions and ETF inflows [6].

As Ethereum marks its 10th anniversary, its resilience and growth in both developer activity and DeFi infrastructure underscore its foundational role in the evolving global financial system. The July 2025 events served as a global acknowledgment of Ethereum’s achievements and its enduring influence on the future of digital finance [5].

Source: [1] Ethereum Leads TVL Among Top Blockchains July 2025 (https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/688aeb415351ea6fce536056/) [2] Ethereum Turns 10: How Its Booms and Busts Shaped … (https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-turns-10-booms-busts-history) [3] Ethereum Turns 10 Today: Here’s How it Surged 60% in July (https://coingape.com/trending/ethereum-turns-10-today-heres-how-it-surged-60-in-july/) [5] Ethereum Marks 10th Anniversary on July 30, 2025 (https://www.ainvest.com/news/ethereum-news-today-ethereum-marks-10th-anniversary-global-events-5-billion-etf-inflows-2507-/) [6] What Will Ethereum Look Like in 2035? Experts Weigh In (https://beincrypto.com/ethereum-future-in-2035/) [9] Ethereum Promised a ‘World Computer’ — But Here’s What … (https://www.ccn.com/education/crypto/ethereum-world-computer-reality-financial-infrastructure-of-web3/)