What happened?
Ethereum pulled in the most new developers in 2025, adding over 16,000 between January and September and now claiming the largest active developer base when you include layer-2s. Solana followed with roughly 11,500 new developers and Bitcoin about 7,500, though some datasets may undercount Solana and include short-lived hackathon or AI-generated repos. Overall, the trend shows developers gravitating toward established, EVM-friendly ecosystems and layer-2 solutions rather than building new base-layer blockchains.
Who does this affect?
Developers and teams deciding where to build will feel the biggest impact, as more talent and shared tooling concentrate on Ethereum, Polygon and other EVM-compatible chains. Projects and startups in regions like Latin America—where builders are favoring mature chains—stand to benefit from better tooling, clearer regulations, and larger user bases. Investors, infrastructure providers, and layer-2 operators also get affected because developer activity drives app launches, integrations, and demand for services.
Why does this matter?
More developers generally means more apps, users, and on-chain activity, which can boost network effects and increase demand for related tokens and services, potentially lifting valuations and liquidity for dominant ecosystems. If Solana or other chains are undercounted, market narratives and investment flows could be misaligned, so accurate data matters for capital allocation and product decisions. Ultimately, concentration of developer talent in established stacks makes those ecosystems more resilient, faster to innovate, and more attractive to mainstream users and institutions, shaping where capital and adoption flow next.