Ethereum has experienced unusual circumstances in its history. Networks are seeing record levels of activity at the base layer (L1), while fees paid by users remain at historic lows.
As reported by CriptoNoticias, on January 16th, Ethereum did the following: 2.9 million transactions in one daythe largest record in network history.
At the same time, although the number of daily operations has increased since mid-December of last year, the total fees paid for the use of the protocol remain at unusually low levels. This is true even at maximum activity.
These statistics are confirmed by other analytics platforms such as Grow the Pie and DeFiLlama.
Data from Etherscan Explorer supports the fee decline diagnosis. As of this writing, the simple cost of transferring Ether (ETH) is Approximately 0.018 USD.
Similarly, throughput Ethereum volume (the number of transactions the network can process in a given period) has reached an all-time high, reflecting the improved operational capabilities of the base layer.
«In such a situation, on January 22, the base layer processed an average of 27.46 transactions per second (TPS), the highest level to date. The indicator has been trending upward since the beginning of January 2026. »
Meanwhile, base layer active addresses have also increased since January 2026 and are currently at an all-time high. As of January 23rd, the number of accounts exceeds 1 million. this metric 50% increase compared to end of December. Those related to higher level adoption.
More transactions, fewer fees: The role of per-block gas limits
One of the main factors behind this behavior is Continuous increase in gas limit per block on Ethereum. As reported by CriptoNoticias, this situation was confirmed by Vitalik Buterin himself.
Gas is a unit of measurement How many calculations can each block contain?acts as a “maximum capacity” shared between all transactions.
When gas limits are low, users compete with each other to get into the next block, increasing fees. If that limit is extended, Blocks can contain more operationsreducing congestion and pressure on fares.
From the beginning of 2025, this indicator began to gradually increase.
This process is not automatic. Network validators agree It accepts blocks with more gas, but recent updates have made increasing gas technically feasible without compromising stability.
This is where modern protocol improvements come in handy. After the Pectra and especially the Fusaka upgrades, the network is now more tolerant of increased gas limits.
Specifically, starting with the EIP-7935 proposal included in Fusaka, Ethereum clients default to Gas limit per block is 60 million.
Looking at it objectively, it looks like this:
- At the beginning of 2025, the practical limit will be approximately Gasoline 30 million.
- Now its value has doubled 60 million, This means 100% growth Capacity per block.
- More capacity possible Handle more concurrent transactions Users don’t have to actively bid for space.
This increase does not completely eliminate the toll market, but it changes its dynamics. Larger blocks allow the network to absorb peaks in activity without causing fees to spike as they did in previous cycles.
Other metrics also support Ethereum’s on-chain growth
Commission trends are not the only relevant data. Other indicators indicate that Ethereum’s growth is going beyond a one-time technical correction.
Some metrics to keep an eye on include:
- Amount of stablecoins: The network has recorded record levels of stablecoin usage and circulation, strengthening its role as a fundamental financial infrastructure.
- Staking ETH: The amount of Ether deposited into the verification mechanism is also at an unprecedented high, a sign of medium- to long-term confidence in the network.
- Relative activity between layers– According to January 22nd data from Token Terminal, currently More active accounts in the base layer (L1) This trend was reversed from 2024 to 2025 than for second-tier (L2) solutions.
This last point is worth noting. This is a recent phenomenon and may be situational, influenced by temporary changes in costs, incentives, or usage patterns. Its sustainability can only be assessed over time.
Taken together, the data shows that Ethereum is next in line. Improved structural efficiency: A network with more transactions, less economic friction, and the ability to scale without passing costs on to end users, at least for now.