Base processed nearly 70 percent of all Ethereum layer-2 fee revenue on January 14, leaving rivals far behind, according to data shared by CryptoRank.io.
At a Glance
- Base earned about $147,000 in daily L2 fees on January 14, dwarfing Arbitrum’s $39,000.
- The network’s share of total Ethereum L2 revenue neared 70% in a single 24-hour period.
- Polygon recorded $155,000 in daily fees, but classification debates place it outside the strict L2 list.
- Why it matters: The fee gap highlights how quickly activity can concentrate on one scaling network.
Base’s dominance becomes clear when lining up the numbers. CryptoRank figures show the Coinbase-incubated chain pulled in roughly $147,000 on January 14. Arbitrum, long the L2 leader, managed only about $39,000, while Starknet trailed at $9,000. Most other rollups failed to cross the $5,000 mark.
Fee Snapshot: January 14, 2025
| Network | Daily Fees |
|---|---|
| Base | $147,000 |
| Arbitrum | $39,000 |
| Starknet | $9,000 |
| Linea | $4,500 |
| Optimism | $2,400 |
| Unichain | $2,000 |
| Ink | $1,500 |
| zkSync | $900 |
| Scroll | $600 |
The data sparked immediate debate online. Some users pointed to DefiLlama’s broader revenue table, which listed Polygon at about $155,000 for the same day, slightly above Base. The comparison triggered questions about whether Polygon qualifies as an Ethereum L2.
X user Thorex asked directly, “Is Polygon even an L2?” The query reflects a long-running community discussion over Polygon’s hybrid scaling approach, which includes both proof-of-stake and newer zero-knowledge products. CryptoRank’s post focused strictly on Ethereum L2s, while Polygon’s revenue often includes its wider ecosystem.
DefiLlama’s all-chain revenue ranking put Tron at the top with more than $1 million in daily fees, followed by Polygon, Base, Ethereum, BNB Chain, Solana, and Arbitrum. Within Ethereum-aligned networks, Base still sat near the top, even if it was not the highest-earning chain overall.
Base’s Consumer App Push
Base’s recent fee surge coincides with Coinbase’s rollout of its tokenized “Everything app,” a rebrand of Coinbase Wallet that blends social content, trading, and payments. The app, now live in more than 140 countries, is built on Base and lets users trade tokenized posts directly from a social feed.
Coinbase has not claimed a direct link between the app and daily fee totals, but the timing helps explain why Base continues to attract activity compared with other L2s that lack a similar consumer-facing funnel.
Crypto analyst Vadim and X user New York Pascal both highlighted Polygon’s higher revenue figure, yet the classification debate keeps Base firmly at the front of the strict L2 pack for now.
Key Takeaways
- Base earned nearly 70% of all Ethereum L2 fees in one day
- The network’s $147,000 total left Arbitrum’s $39,000 far behind
- Polygon posted slightly higher revenue, but its L2 status remains disputed
- Coinbase’s new consumer app may be driving sustained Base activity
