The Ethereum network is increasingly being positioned as settlement infrastructure for institutions, with Layer-2 networks handling more activity while the main Ethereum chain provides the base layer.
Ethereum’s decentralised finance market share has fallen to 54%, and mainnet transaction fees have declined. On the surface, that can look like pressure on the business model. The more relevant point is that Ethereum has deliberately shifted more activity towards Layer-2 networks after its post-Dencun upgrades.
Lower fees can reduce near-term revenue capture on the mainnet, but they also make Ethereum more usable for higher-volume institutional activity. If enterprises and financial institutions need cheaper, faster settlement, Ethereum’s Layer-2 ecosystem gives the network a clearer route to scale. The question is whether Ethereum can capture enough long-term value from that wider activity while allowing Layer-2 networks to carry the transaction load.
The next major step is the Glamsterdam upgrade, which is targeted for mid-2026. The upgrade is expected to introduce Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation and parallel transaction processing. In practical terms, this is designed to make the network fairer, more efficient and better suited to heavier transaction workloads.
Total network transactions reached 200.4 million in the first quarter of 2026, up 43% quarter on quarter. That suggests Ethereum is still attracting activity even as competition, including Solana, pressures parts of the decentralised exchange market.
Ethtry plc (AQSE:ETHY) is an operational company listed on the Aquis Stock Exchange, with a strategic focus on acquiring, managing and developing assets within breakthrough technology sectors, while continuing to implement its Ethereum Treasury Policy.
