Key Takeaways:
- Ethereum achieves 24,192 TPS, led by Layer 2 Lighter.
- Lighter surpasses Solana in speed but faces reliability challenges.
- Layer 2 scaling raises questions about ETH value accrual.
- Zero-knowledge proofs and protocol upgrades are driving future scalability.
Ethereum Breaks Through Transaction Limits
Ethereum has achieved a record-breaking 24,192 transactions per second (TPS), driven largely by its Layer 2 solution, Lighter. Launched just last month, Lighter’s rapid adoption has significantly boosted Ethereum’s throughput, eclipsing the Base Chain’s 100–200 TPS range. Enthusiasts and co-founder Vitalik Buterin celebrated the milestone on X, noting that Ethereum is entering a new era of scalability, fueled by innovations like zero-knowledge proofs and enhanced Layer 2 protocols.
Also Read: How to Use MetaMask for Ethereum and Layer 2s
Lighter vs Solana: Speed with Caveats
Lighter’s transaction capacity even outpaces Solana at its peak, processing around 4,000 TPS on its platform alone. However, this speed has come with growing pains. The network has experienced multiple outages since its October 1 launch, echoing Solana’s early struggles. The Lighter team compensated nearly 3,900 wallets with $774,872 in USDC for disruptions, highlighting the challenges of maintaining ultra-fast throughput without compromising reliability.
Layer 2s: Boosting Scalability but Raising Questions
While Layer 2 solutions like Lighter dramatically enhance Ethereum’s transaction capabilities, questions about long-term value accrual persist. Critics, including ₿RRR Capital’s Rezso Schmiedt, point out that L2s capture transaction fees rather than directly benefiting ETH holders. This tension underscores the need for sustainable incentive alignment between Ethereum Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks, through mechanisms like fee sharing, MEV capture, and deeper protocol integrations.
The Road Ahead: TPS Milestones and Ecosystem Growth
Also Read: Solana Partners with Dubai VARA: New Deal Fuels Ecosystem Growth and SOL Price Surge
Ethereum’s Pectra and Dencun upgrades have paved the way for these scaling improvements, and experts predict even higher TPS milestones in the near future. Bankless podcast host Ryan Sean Adams anticipates Ethereum Layer 2 networks reaching 100,000 TPS and potentially 1 million, driven by broader adoption of zero-knowledge proof technology. For Ethereum holders, staying engaged with Layer 2 developments will be key to understanding the ecosystem’s evolving dynamics.
