Layer 1
The recent acceleration suggests renewed short-term interest, but the negative annual return indicates the sector is still recovering from a weaker stretch rather than in a confirmed uptrend.
Layer 1 (Smart Contract Platforms)
WARMMarket cap
$2368B
12-mo trend
-5%
3-mo accel
+28 pts
| 1 | Bitcoin | $1662.8B | |
| 2 | Ethereum | $298.4B | |
| 3 | BNB | $97.5B | |
| 4 | XRP | $84.1B | |
| 5 | Solana | $62.4B |
App-specific L1s — Hyperliquid model — chain earns its own revenue
Parallel-EVM chains — Higher throughput EVM (Monad-type)
Move-based chains — Sui/Aptos — safer asset model
Modular DA layers — Celestia-type data availability
Bitcoin L2s — Bring programmability/yield to BTC
Thesis: The recent acceleration suggests renewed short-term interest, but the negative annual return indicates the sector is still recovering from a weaker stretch rather than in a confirmed uptrend.
FAQ
- Is Layer 1 still growing in 2026?
- The recent acceleration suggests renewed short-term interest, but the negative annual return indicates the sector is still recovering from a weaker stretch rather than in a confirmed uptrend.
- What are the top Layer 1 projects?
- Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB, XRP, Solana.
- What are the emerging niches in Layer 1?
- App-specific L1s (Hyperliquid model — chain earns its own revenue) Parallel-EVM chains (Higher throughput EVM (Monad-type)) Move-based chains (Sui/Aptos — safer asset model) Modular DA layers (Celestia-type data availability) Bitcoin L2s (Bring programmability/yield to BTC)
Educational content, not financial advice. Back to all sectors →