Ethereum Gains Momentum as Trading Volume Surges
Ethereum’s price has shown a notable increase, reaching $1,811.99, reflecting a 0.90% rise over the past 24 hours. This upward movement is accompanied by a significant surge in trading volume, which increased by 6.11%, totaling nearly $15.07 billion in ETH transactions. The heightened trading activity underscores strong investor interest, likely fueled by short-term bullish sentiment. Over the past week, Ethereum has gained 3.18%, boosting its market capitalization to $218.77 billion. This positive trend highlights Ethereum’s resilience and growing appeal in the cryptocurrency market. As of May 2, 2025, Ethereum continues to demonstrate its potential as a leading digital asset, with investors closely monitoring its performance amid evolving market conditions.
Ethereum Price Rises Amid Surging Trading Volume
Ethereum’s price climbed to $1,811.99 on Thursday, marking a 0.90% increase over the past 24 hours. Trading volume surged by 6.11%, with nearly $15.07 billion worth of ETH changing hands. The heightened activity signals strong investor interest, likely driven by short-term bullish expectations.
Over the past week, Ethereum gained 3.18%, pushing its market capitalization to $218.77 billion. Meanwhile, Virtuals Protocol, Curve DAO Token, and Fartcoin emerged as top gainers, while Optimism, Algorand, and Worldcoin lagged behind.
Base Overtakes Arbitrum as Largest Ethereum Layer-2 Network
Base has surpassed Arbitrum One to become the largest optimistic rollup on Ethereum, according to data from analytics platform L2Beat. The Coinbase-incubated Layer-2 network saw its total value locked (TVL) surge by $557 million, securing a $710 million lead over its competitor.
The shift comes as Base achieves Stage 1 maturity under Vitalik Buterin’s rollup framework—a significant upgrade from Stage 0. The network now implements smart contract governance, though observers note the continued presence of a security council maintains some centralized elements.
Arbitrum’s displacement marks a turning point in the Layer-2 landscape, where Ethereum scaling solutions compete for dominance. Base’s rapid growth underscores the intensifying battle for developer activity and capital deployment among ETH rollups.
Blockchain P2E Games: How to Earn From It
Gaming has evolved from a mere pastime into a lucrative opportunity, fueled by blockchain-powered play-to-earn (P2E) games. These platforms merge entertainment with digital ownership and decentralized finance, offering tangible rewards for player participation.
Built on networks like Ethereum, Polygon, or BNB Chain, P2E games distribute cryptocurrency or NFTs as incentives for in-game achievements. This model contrasts sharply with traditional gaming, where effort yields no real-world value.
Ethereum Price Analysis: Resistance Battle at $1.8K
Ether’s recent rebound from the $1.5K support level faces a critical test as it challenges a bearish order block NEAR $1.8K. Failure to breach this resistance could trigger another pullback, though a bullish fair value gap below current prices may offer secondary support.
The daily chart reveals a clear reversal pattern, with the 100-day moving average at $2.2K emerging as a potential upside target. On shorter timeframes, ETH has already demonstrated a bullish market structure shift—a technical development that often precedes sustained upward momentum.
Ethereum Researcher Warns of Potential Irrelevance Without Aggressive Scaling
Ethereum Foundation researcher Dankrad Feist has issued a stark warning: Ethereum’s base layer risks becoming irrelevant within 5-10 years without radical protocol upgrades. His proposal on the Ethereum Magicians forum calls for scheduled gas-limit increases and architectural changes to maintain the chain’s economic centrality.
"The current way of doing things is likely to make Ethereum irrelevant," Feist asserts, advocating for unconventional approaches to prevent liquidity fragmentation across Layer 2 solutions. The draft EIP positions scaling as an existential challenge rather than mere technical optimization.
Ethereum R1 Launches as Token-Free Layer-2 Rollup, Emphasizing Decentralization
Ethereum R1 has debuted as a token-free layer-2 rollup, funded entirely by donations. The development team positions it as a response to the growing centralization concerns in the L2 ecosystem. "General-purpose L2s should be commodities—simple, replaceable, and free from centralized dependencies or risky governance," stated the developers. Ethereum R1 aims to embody credible neutrality, decentralization, and censorship resistance.
The launch coincides with Ethereum’s transaction fees hitting five-year lows in April, raising questions about the necessity of current L2 solutions. Critics argue many existing rollups operate more like independent L1 chains, featuring opaque governance and centralized control. Ethereum R1 directly addresses these criticisms by forgoing venture funding and token incentives, aligning more closely with Ethereum’s base-layer ethos.
