The number of people building apps and tools on cryptocurrency networks is a big clue about which ones are growing the fastest. Avichal Garg, who works at a company that invests in crypto, said something important:
“When more developers work on a network, it shows where the real value and future money will be.”
In simple words, if many smart people are spending time working on a crypto network, it means they believe in it.
They think it will be useful, strong, and stick around for many years. More builders means more new ideas, apps, and tools. So, a growing number of developers is a sign that the network will become more popular and powerful.
Developers Are Growing Fast in Crypto
Right now in 2025, around 23,600 developers are working actively on crypto projects every month. This includes both full-time and part-time workers.
In 2021, there were about 18,000. So, the number has grown a lot over the years. This shows that crypto is still strong and many people believe in it.
Electric Capital, a research group, studied over 500 million lines of code and many code changes to understand where developers are working. They compared December 2023 to December 2024 to find the fastest-growing crypto ecosystems.
Biggest Crypto Ecosystems in 2025
Here is the updated list of the largest crypto ecosystems today:
- Ethereum
- Solana
- Polygon
- Ripple
- Base
- Near
- Toncoin
- Sui Network
- Dogecoin
- Chainlink
- Avalanche
- Aptos
- Internet Computer
- Arbitrum
All of these are working hard to build better and faster crypto systems. Most of them are competitors to Ethereum, which is still one of the biggest platforms out there.
Ethereum Still Strong, But Others Are Catching Up
Ethereum started in 2015 and has thousands of apps built on it. It still has the most developers (about 6,244 full-time and part-time), but the growth is slowing down. Ethereum is like a world computer where anyone can build apps.
It uses thousands of “nodes” (computers) to check transactions. But it’s a bit slow, it can do about 15 transactions in one second. In comparison, the NASDAQ Stock Market can do around 20,000 per second! Also, using Ethereum can be expensive. A single transaction sometimes costs $50 or more.
New Platforms Are Growing Fast
Many new platforms are now growing quickly. They work faster and cost less, but some of them are not as decentralized as Ethereum.
Let’s look at a few:
Solana
Solana is based in San Francisco. In just one year, it added over 7,000 new developers!
Solana apps are growing fast – from trading apps to music apps.
The SOL token has become super popular again. In 2021, it jumped from $1.85 to $170. Now in 2025, it continues to be strong.
Base
Base is a Layer 2 chain built on Ethereum. It’s backed by Coinbase, a big crypto company. Base is fast and cheap and has brought in over 1,600 developers last year.
NEAR
NEAR was started by Alexander Skidanov and Illia Polosukhin in 2017. It is built using a programming language called Rust, which many developers like. It’s fast and developer-friendly.
Aptos
Aptos is another rising star. It also gained over 1,600 developers in one year. It’s focused on speed and safety. It’s getting attention for making smart contracts easier to use.
Internet Computer
This platform is trying to create a “world computer” without big servers. It added more than 2,000 new developers last year. That’s a big jump!
Some Platforms Are Losing Developers
Not every crypto platform is growing. Some are losing the people who build and improve them. As an example, a platform named EOS had 125 active developers in 2020. However, in 2021, there were only 80 of them. That is a large descent. And today, in 2025, EOS does not even appear in the list of the leading crypto platforms.
What is the reason behind this? EOS has lost many developers who have migrated to other platforms that are stronger, more productive or entertaining. Developers desire to invest in projects which are expanding and have a good future. The loss of application developers implies a reduction in the influx of new ideas and updates.
What Programming Languages Are Popular?
All the programming languages used by various crypto platforms have differences just as there are different languages spoken by people in different countries. Languages spoken on some platforms have been used by many developers and therefore they find it easy to develop things. E.g., Solana and NEAR have its language called Rust.
Rust is well received, and people are already aware of how to use it. This aids in the growth of these platforms on a higher speed as many people are able to be involved and start developing immediately. In contrast, Ethereum has its programming language Solidity. It is not only Ethereum that uses solidity, which is why fewer developers understand it. This makes new developers enter a bit difficult. Rust is helping newer platforms become popular more quickly.
What the Research Shows
Electric Capital’s 2025 research shows:
- Ethereum still has the most total developers.
- Solana had the biggest jump in new developers.
- India is now the #1 country for new crypto developers.
- 1 out of 3 crypto builders now work on more than one blockchain.
US Trump’s Push for Crypto in 2025
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has spoken more about crypto in 2025.
- He called Bitcoin a “strategic reserve asset.”
- He said he wants to make U.S. rules for crypto more clear and friendly.
- Trump supports the approval of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs.
- He hinted that Solana and XRP may also get ETFs soon.
These moves may make it easier for people and companies to use crypto safely.
Conclusion
Crypto is still growing very fast in 2025. More developers are working on crypto networks than ever before. They are building apps, tools, and new ideas every day. Ethereum is still the top platform, but others like Solana, Base, Aptos, and NEAR are growing quickly and becoming strong competitors.
These platforms are trying new things like faster transaction speeds, lower costs, and easier ways to write code. This makes it simpler for more people to join and build. Also, support from some governments and even leaders like Donald Trump is helping crypto become more popular.
Hopefully this continues and as long as there are people who are smart enough to build and fix things, the crypto world will only get better, bigger and more exciting to all of us.
Article by Rachna