
Ethereum Still Accounts for 90% of Fees as Layer 2s Struggle to Deliver Revenue
While the Ethereum ecosystem continues to expand with multiple Layer 2 (L2) networks — designed to improve scalability and reduce fees — the data shows it may not always be financially viable for decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols to deploy iterations on all of these networks. DefiLlama data shows that for protocols that have expanded the most across the Ethereum ecosystem, over 90% of fees or revenue still come from the mainnet, with L2s contributing only a small share. Aave, the largest DeFi money market, generated over $65 million in fees in July 2025, converting roughly $9 million into revenue. But…








