Arbitrum has emerged as the dominant Layer 2 for institutional DeFi, attracting BlackRock, Franklin Templeton, and over 1,000 projects. Here's what makes it different.
Kai Nakamoto
Emerging Tech Analyst
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While Base captured retail DeFi in 2025, a different Layer 2 quietly became the infrastructure backbone for institutional finance. Arbitrum now hosts over 1,000 projects, generates $600 million in application revenue, and counts BlackRock among its partners.
The Layer 2 landscape has matured significantly since our Layer 2 comparison guide. The question is no longer "which L2 is fastest?" but rather "which L2 do institutions trust?" In 2025, that answer became clear.
