Ethereum’s on-chain revenue dropped sharply in August, even as ETH surged to new all-time highs.
Key Takeaways:
Ethereum revenue fell 44% in August despite ETH hitting a record high of $4,957. Network fees dropped 20%, largely due to lower costs from the Dencun upgrade. Institutional interest remains strong, with Etherealize raising $40M to expand Ethereum adoption.According to Token Terminal, Ethereum revenue, driven by token burns that benefit ETH holders, fell 44% month-over-month to $14.1 million, down from $25.6 million in July.
The decline comes despite ETH rallying more than 240% since April, hitting a record $4,957 on August 24.
Ethereum Network Fees Drop as Well Alongside Revenue
Network fees also fell 20%, sliding from $49.6 million in July to $39.7 million last month.
Much of the drop traces back to Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade in March 2024, which slashed transaction costs for layer-2 rollups.
While the upgrade enhanced scalability, it significantly reduced layer-1 fee revenue, a key source of value for ETH holders.
The trend has reignited debate about Ethereum’s long-term economic model. Critics warn that low fee revenue undermines the platform’s sustainability, while supporters argue Ethereum is evolving into the foundation of global decentralized finance.
Despite declining revenues, Ethereum continues to attract institutional attention.
Etherealize, a firm promoting Ethereum adoption among public companies, raised $40 million in September to expand outreach.
Etherealize, launched in January with backing from the Ethereum Foundation and co-founder Vitalik Buterin, is designed to bridge the gap between Ethereum’s complex ecosystem and the financial world’s demand for clarity, tools, and regulation-ready infrastructure.
Co-founder Grant Hummer previously noted that despite Ethereum’s presence in crypto ETFs, many institutions still lack the fundamental knowledge needed to engage meaningfully with ETH.
The $40 million will fund new tools and platforms tailored to institutional workflows. Etherealize plans to build infrastructure for private trading and settlement of tokenized assets, including a settlement platform for tokenized bonds and other fixed income products.
Companies exploring ETH for staking are betting on Ethereum’s long-term potential, locking up tokens to earn rewards while securing the network — even if short-term revenues fluctuate.
Joseph Lubin Predicts 100x ETH Surge
Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin believes ETH could rally 100x or more over time, calling it Wall Street’s future infrastructure as TradFi shifts toward decentralized finance.
In an X post, Lubin said Ethereum will replace many siloed systems at institutions like JPMorgan and become the backbone for financial services, staking, and smart contract execution.
Backing the bullish stance of Fundstrat’s Tom Lee, Lubin stated he’s “100% aligned” with Lee’s view that Ethereum could flip Bitcoin in network value.
He compared the moment to 1971 when the U.S. dollar left the gold standard, signaling a tectonic shift in financial architecture led by Ethereum.
Likewise, Lee has predicted that Ethereum will rally in the near term to $5,500, with an ambitious year-end target of $12,000.
During his August 26 guest appearance on the Amitis Investing program, Lee disclosed that institutional Wall Street sentiment toward Ethereum has shifted dramatically following the U.S. Senate’s passage of the GENIUS Stablecoin legislation.
Lee emphasized that Ethereum is the foundational blockchain infrastructure for traditional finance (TradFi), currently supporting over $145 billion in stablecoin supply.
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