Base emerged as the clear leader among Ethereum layer-2 networks on January 14, generating approximately $147,000 in daily fees, according to data from CryptoRank.io. This put it far ahead of rivals such as Arbitrum, which recorded around $39,000, and Starknet, with roughly $9,000.
The figures highlight a growing concentration of user activity on a single network, as the majority of Ethereum scaling solutions failed to exceed $5,000 in fees during the same 24-hour period.
Fee Data Shows Base Pulling Further Ahead
CryptoRank reported that Base accounted for nearly 70% of total Ethereum L2 fee revenue in its January 14 snapshot. In comparison, all other layer-2 networks combined generated just over $15,000. Linea brought in about $4,500, Optimism $2,400, Unichain $2,000, Ink $1,500, zkSync $900, and Scroll around $600, underscoring how limited fee generation remains outside the leading network.
The numbers quickly sparked debate online, particularly after observers pointed out that Polygon posted significantly higher revenue on the same day. Crypto analyst Vadim and X user New York Pascal cited DefiLlama data showing Polygon earning roughly $155,000 in daily fees, narrowly surpassing Base.
This comparison reignited discussion around Polygon’s classification. Some community members, including X user Thorex, questioned whether Polygon should even be considered an Ethereum L2, given its combination of a proof-of-stake chain and newer zero-knowledge scaling solutions.
The distinction is important, as CryptoRank’s analysis focused solely on Ethereum layer-2 networks, while Polygon’s reported revenue often reflects activity across its broader ecosystem.
DefiLlama’s wider revenue rankings placed Tron at the top with more than $1 million in daily fees, followed by Polygon, Base, Ethereum, BNB Chain, Solana, and Arbitrum. Even within this broader view, Base remained one of the strongest performers among Ethereum-aligned networks.
Expanding Ecosystem Supports Base’s Momentum
Base’s strong fee performance coincides with Coinbase’s ongoing expansion of products built on the network. Late last year, the exchange introduced a tokenized “everything app,” a redesigned version of Coinbase Wallet that combines social features, trading, and payments into a single platform.
Now available in over 140 countries, the app runs on Base and allows users to trade tokenized posts and assets directly from a social-style feed. It also enables on-chain interactions such as earning from content engagement and receiving rewards instantly in users’ wallets.
Although Coinbase has not directly linked the app to Base’s daily fee growth, its rollout helps explain why Base continues to attract significantly more activity than many other L2 networks without a comparable consumer-focused ecosystem.
