Surge in Ethereum On-Chain Activity: 2.2 Million Daily Transactions Amid Fee Decrease

In a notable development for the Ethereum blockchain, daily transactions have skyrocketed to 2.2 million, coinciding with a significant drop in transaction fees. The average cost for transactions has fallen to approximately $0.17, a sharp decline from the peaks experienced since Ethereum's inception.

Key Takeaways

Ethereum’s daily transactions have hit 2.2 million.
Average transaction fees are now just $0.17, down from peak costs of around $200.06.
Two major upgrades—Pectra and Fusaka—have been implemented to enhance network performance.
The Ethereum price fluctuated around $3,040 before settling at approximately $2,971.41.
Growing on-chain activity and lower fees signal improved efficiency for Ethereum.

Ethereum Transactions Overview

Ethereum On-Chain Activity Surges with 2.2M Daily Transactions Amid Fee Drop

Ethereum Network Developments and Price Update

According to data from Token Terminal, the deployment of Ethereum contracts—essentially the creation and publication of smart contracts—reached an impressive 8.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2025, surpassing previous records. This sharp increase in on-chain activities reaffirms Ethereum’s position as a leading Layer 1 (L1) blockchain.

Adding to the positive momentum of active transactions at lower costs, Ethereum introduced two noteworthy upgrades this year. The first, called Pectra, went live in May 2025. It significantly improves staking efficiency, usability, and overall network performance. The second upgrade, Fusaka, was launched this month and serves to expand the gas limit, allowing each block to accommodate more transactions, thereby enhancing network efficiency.

The combination of rising network usage and decreasing fees over the past couple of days has had a noticeable impact on Ethereum's price. As of December 29, the ETH price briefly reached approximately $3,040 before retracting. Currently, ETH is trading at about $2,971.41, reflecting an 18.4% decrease in trading volume for the day, based on CoinMarketCap data. Consequently, Ethereum's on-chain metrics as the year draws to a close will be essential to monitor in 2026.

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