bitcoin
Bitcoin (BTC) $ 84,645.68
ethereum
Ethereum (ETH) $ 1,920.88
tether
Tether (USDT) $ 1.00
xrp
XRP (XRP) $ 2.42
bnb
BNB (BNB) $ 592.80
solana
Solana (SOL) $ 134.92
usd-coin
USDC (USDC) $ 1.00
cardano
Cardano (ADA) $ 0.750837
dogecoin
Dogecoin (DOGE) $ 0.173206
tron
TRON (TRX) $ 0.222817
staked-ether
Lido Staked Ether (STETH) $ 1,916.53
wrapped-bitcoin
Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) $ 84,671.69
pi-network
Pi Network (PI) $ 1.47
leo-token
LEO Token (LEO) $ 9.77
chainlink
Chainlink (LINK) $ 14.00
stellar
Stellar (XLM) $ 0.278678
wrapped-steth
Wrapped stETH (WSTETH) $ 2,290.64
usds
USDS (USDS) $ 1.00
hedera-hashgraph
Hedera (HBAR) $ 0.19501
avalanche-2
Avalanche (AVAX) $ 18.62
sui
Sui (SUI) $ 2.37
shiba-inu
Shiba Inu (SHIB) $ 0.000013
the-open-network
Toncoin (TON) $ 2.93
litecoin
Litecoin (LTC) $ 91.87
bitcoin-cash
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) $ 333.13
polkadot
Polkadot (DOT) $ 4.24
mantra-dao
MANTRA (OM) $ 6.31
ethena-usde
Ethena USDe (USDE) $ 1.00
weth
WETH (WETH) $ 1,922.78
bitget-token
Bitget Token (BGB) $ 4.42
binance-bridged-usdt-bnb-smart-chain
Binance Bridged USDT (BNB Smart Chain) (BSC-USD) $ 1.00
hyperliquid
Hyperliquid (HYPE) $ 14.26
whitebit
WhiteBIT Coin (WBT) $ 28.52
wrapped-eeth
Wrapped eETH (WEETH) $ 2,042.20
monero
Monero (XMR) $ 209.86
uniswap
Uniswap (UNI) $ 6.08
susds
sUSDS (SUSDS) $ 1.04
dai
Dai (DAI) $ 0.999929
aptos
Aptos (APT) $ 5.27
near
NEAR Protocol (NEAR) $ 2.64
pepe
Pepe (PEPE) $ 0.000007
ondo-finance
Ondo (ONDO) $ 0.885303
okb
OKB (OKB) $ 46.23
internet-computer
Internet Computer (ICP) $ 5.69
ethereum-classic
Ethereum Classic (ETC) $ 18.10
gatechain-token
Gate (GT) $ 21.45
aave
Aave (AAVE) $ 174.45
coinbase-wrapped-btc
Coinbase Wrapped BTC (CBBTC) $ 84,714.70
mantle
Mantle (MNT) $ 0.73358
official-trump
Official Trump (TRUMP) $ 12.21
crypto-com-chain
Cronos (CRO) $ 0.083672
tokenize-xchange
Tokenize Xchange (TKX) $ 28.07
bittensor
Bittensor (TAO) $ 260.10
vechain
VeChain (VET) $ 0.024969
kaspa
Kaspa (KAS) $ 0.081187
first-digital-usd
First Digital USD (FDUSD) $ 1.00
cosmos
Cosmos Hub (ATOM) $ 4.35
ethena
Ethena (ENA) $ 0.361835
celestia
Celestia (TIA) $ 3.51
polygon-ecosystem-token
POL (ex-MATIC) (POL) $ 0.217599
filecoin
Filecoin (FIL) $ 2.89
fasttoken
Fasttoken (FTN) $ 4.00
algorand
Algorand (ALGO) $ 0.200299
sonic-3
Sonic (prev. FTM) (S) $ 0.528295
render-token
Render (RENDER) $ 3.24
lombard-staked-btc
Lombard Staked BTC (LBTC) $ 84,811.72
arbitrum
Arbitrum (ARB) $ 0.361483
story-2
Story (IP) $ 5.79
arbitrum-bridged-usdt-arbitrum
Arbitrum Bridged USDT (Arbitrum) (USDT) $ 1.00
jupiter-exchange-solana
Jupiter (JUP) $ 0.531154
optimism
Optimism (OP) $ 0.872031
kucoin-shares
KuCoin (KCS) $ 11.14
fetch-ai
Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET) $ 0.52035
solv-btc
Solv Protocol SolvBTC (SOLVBTC) $ 84,572.66
blackrock-usd-institutional-digital-liquidity-fund
BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund (BUIDL) $ 1.00
binance-peg-weth
Binance-Peg WETH (WETH) $ 1,921.81
movement
Movement (MOVE) $ 0.454095
kelp-dao-restaked-eth
Kelp DAO Restaked ETH (RSETH) $ 1,997.01
nexo
NEXO (NEXO) $ 1.08
xdce-crowd-sale
XDC Network (XDC) $ 0.068769
sei-network
Sei (SEI) $ 0.204177
maker
Maker (MKR) $ 1,172.73
dexe
DeXe (DEXE) $ 17.26
blockstack
Stacks (STX) $ 0.649122
injective-protocol
Injective (INJ) $ 10.06
usual-usd
Usual USD (USD0) $ 0.99806
worldcoin-wld
Worldcoin (WLD) $ 0.876946
immutable-x
Immutable (IMX) $ 0.546362
binance-staked-sol
Binance Staked SOL (BNSOL) $ 140.03
rocket-pool-eth
Rocket Pool ETH (RETH) $ 2,156.56
flare-networks
Flare (FLR) $ 0.015211
the-graph
The Graph (GRT) $ 0.095492
theta-token
Theta Network (THETA) $ 0.901538
lido-dao
Lido DAO (LDO) $ 0.957702
bonk
Bonk (BONK) $ 0.000011
polygon-bridged-usdt-polygon
Polygon Bridged USDT (Polygon) (USDT) $ 1.00
solv-protocol-solvbtc-bbn
Solv Protocol SolvBTC.BBN (SOLVBTC.BB) $ 84,218.56
mantle-staked-ether
Mantle Staked Ether (METH) $ 2,036.75
eos
EOS (EOS) $ 0.501901
paypal-usd
PayPal USD (PYUSD) $ 1.00

The End of Altcoins? How Layer 2s Are Changing the Crypto Landscape

Over the past decade, Bitcoin has solidified its role as a monetary premium asset—a hedge against inflation that is now being adopted by institutional investors. However, the next phase in its journey is taking shape, one that threatens the very foundation of altcoins: the rise of Layer 2 solutions.

Layer 2 technologies are scaling solutions that improve the functionality of blockchain networks without altering their base layer. Instead of relying on new altcoin ecosystems, Bitcoin and Ethereum are evolving beyond their original chains, potentially rendering chain-specific altcoins obsolete.

Ethereum’s Struggles and the Shift to Layer 2

Ethereum, often seen as the only legitimate competitor to Bitcoin, has been the foundation of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and smart contract applications. However, the network faces critical challenges:

High Gas Fees – Transactions have become prohibitively expensive.
Slow Speeds – Network congestion leads to delays.
Ethereum 2.0 Delays – The much-anticipated upgrade has been frustratingly slow.

To address these issues, Ethereum developers turned to Layer 2 solutions, such as Optimistic Rollups and ZK-Rollups, which allow transactions to occur off-chain while only periodically settling on Ethereum.

But this shift undermines the very justification for ETH’s value. If transactions and smart contracts can function independently of Ethereum’s base layer, does ETH still hold significance?

Bitcoin and the End of Chain-Specific Altcoins

Bitcoin, once limited to a simple transactional currency, has evolved to support DeFi applications through Lightning Network and sidechains like RSK.

Additionally, blockchain bridges—such as Polkadot, Cosmos, and NEAR—are enabling cross-chain communication, allowing assets like Bitcoin and stablecoins to move freely across ecosystems.

This shift challenges the need for altcoins, as liquidity and monetary value begin consolidating around Bitcoin and stablecoins instead of fragmented Layer 1 chains.

Why Altcoins (Including ETH) Are Losing Their Purpose

The traditional value proposition of altcoins relied on their native chains offering unique technological advantages. However, as Layer 2 solutions gain prominence, several key trends emerge:

The Network Effect Moves to Assets, Not Chains – Bitcoin and stablecoins like USDT and USDC are becoming the dominant value carriers, rather than the blockchains they exist on.

Ethereum’s Primacy Is at Risk – With Bitcoin and stablecoins moving seamlessly across chains, Ethereum’s dominance in DeFi is under threat.

Fragmentation Weakens Altcoins – The proliferation of Layer 2 solutions means there’s no longer a single dominant smart contract platform, leading to market dilution.

DeFi No Longer Needs ETH – With rollups and interchain bridges, DeFi projects can function without relying on ETH, undermining its role as a necessary asset.

The Future: A Bitcoin-Stablecoin Dominated World?

Looking ahead, a major shift is imminent:

Bitcoin Becomes the Reserve Currency of Crypto – As interoperability improves, Bitcoin’s role as a universal financial asset strengthens.
Stablecoins Take Over as the Dominant Exchange Medium – Instead of relying on volatile altcoins, stablecoins will likely dominate DeFi and everyday transactions.
The Death of Many Altcoins – Coins with no clear use case beyond their chain will struggle to maintain relevance.

Final Thoughts: The Beginning of the End for Altcoins?

Layer 2 solutions have shattered the idea that altcoins need to exist solely for their respective chains. As Bitcoin and stablecoins become the primary assets of the crypto world, the role of ETH and other altcoins is being questioned.

While tokens representing equity, bonds, and derivatives will thrive, the concept of altcoins as independent currencies is fading.

Are we witnessing the end of the altcoin era? If the rise of Layer 2 solutions continues, the answer may very well be yes.

Hot this week

Ark Invest Buys $11.5M in Coinbase Stock After 17% Crash Amid Market Turmoil

Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest Bets Big on Coinbase Amid...

BlackRock CEO Warns of Inflation as Bitcoin Crashes Below $80K Amid $1 Trillion Crypto Wipeout

The cryptocurrency market is in turmoil as Bitcoin tumbles...

Bitcoin Hits $109K Before Trump’s Inauguration, Drops 9% Amid Policy Uncertainty

Bitcoin’s price rollercoaster continued this week as speculation over...

Bitcoin Surges and Crashes as Trump’s Inauguration Fuels Crypto Speculation

Bitcoin investors experienced a rollercoaster ride this week as...

What Is the Melania Trump Meme Coin and How Much Is It Worth?

Just hours before returning to the White House, Melania...
bitcoin
bitcoin

Bitcoin (BTC)

Price
$ 84,645.68

Topics

Ark Invest Buys $11.5M in Coinbase Stock After 17% Crash Amid Market Turmoil

Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest Bets Big on Coinbase Amid...

Bitcoin Hits $109K Before Trump’s Inauguration, Drops 9% Amid Policy Uncertainty

Bitcoin’s price rollercoaster continued this week as speculation over...

Bitcoin Surges and Crashes as Trump’s Inauguration Fuels Crypto Speculation

Bitcoin investors experienced a rollercoaster ride this week as...

What Is the Melania Trump Meme Coin and How Much Is It Worth?

Just hours before returning to the White House, Melania...

9 Best Shitcoins to Buy in March 2025 High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto Picks

Shitcoins may lack traditional utility, but they remain a...

Bitcoin Plummets Below $90K Amid Crypto Market Turmoil

Bitcoin’s price tumbled below the $90,000 mark on Tuesday,...

Solana’s SOL Drops Below Key Price Level for First Time in Three Years

Solana’s native token, SOL, suffered a sharp decline on...

Related Articles

Popular Categories