The number of Ethereum developers ranks first! An increase of 16,000 in nine months, with the Solana ecosystem not far behind, growing over 60% in two years.

According to data from Electric Capital, Ethereum remains the core hub for blockchain developers, adding over 16,000 new developers between January and September 2025, bringing its total active developer count to 31,869, continuing to hold the position of the most active blockchain development platform globally. Solana follows closely, with approximately 11,500 new developers added, but its two-year growth rate is as high as 61.7%, making it one of the fastest-expanding ecosystems in the industry. However, some analysts question whether this data may be inflated due to AI-assisted coding and hackathon projects.

Ethereum Developer Base Solidification: Active Users Break Through 30,000 Threshold

(Source: Electric Capital)

The Ethereum ecosystem continued to attract a large influx of new blood in the first three quarters of 2025, further consolidating its position as a leading smart contract platform.

· A significantly leading number of active developers: According to Electric Capital, Ethereum currently has 31,869 active developers, a figure that includes contributors to Layer-2 networks such as Arbitrum, Optimism, and Unichain, but avoids double counting.

· Gap with competitors: In comparison, Solana has 17,708 active developers, while Bitcoin ranks third with 11,036 active developers.

· Annual developer growth: Ethereum attracted over 16,000 new developers in the first nine months of 2025, while Bitcoin added about 7,500 developers during the same period.

Solana Becomes the Speed King: Over 60% Growth in Two Years, but Data Accuracy is Doubtful

Although the total number of active developers on Solana is not as high as on Ethereum, it has shown remarkable vitality in terms of growth, becoming one of the most关注的焦点 in the industry.

· Explosive growth data: In the past two years, the number of full-time developers on Solana has surged by 61.7%. In terms of year-on-year growth, Solana recorded a growth of 29.1%, far exceeding Ethereum's 5.8%.

· The Solana Foundation questions data underestimation: However, Jacob Creech, the director of developer relations at the Solana Foundation, pointed out that the dataset from Electric Capital may be outdated and underestimates the actual numbers. He believes that the current data may have missed around 7,800 developers and calls on the community to submit GitHub repositories to improve tracking.

Developer Statistical Methodology Under Challenge: Industry Faces Controversy Over Data “Watering Down”

Industry analysts have questioned the statistical methods used for the current developer data, suggesting that the total may be inflated.

· EVM ecosystem grouping controversy: Some analysts have challenged Electric Capital's methodology, arguing that ecosystems using the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), such as Polygon and BNB Chain, should be classified as a group because their developers share tools and programming standards.

· The Impact of AI-Assisted Coding and Hackathons: Jarrod Watts, the Australian head of the Layer-2 project Abstract, believes that AI-assisted code generation and hackathon projects may exaggerate the overall figures. He stated, “These data may include a lot of 'gut-feeling coding' dross and hackathon codebases that have never been touched again.”

Pump Latin American Developers Trends: Embrace Mature Ecosystem, Focus on Real Issues

A report on Latin America reveals the maturation trends of the developer community in the region, which tends to build applications on mature platforms.

·Ethereum and Polygon dominate: A report from Sherlock Communications found that developers in Latin America are increasingly inclined to build on established blockchains like Ethereum and Polygon, rather than creating new layer-one protocols.

• Ethereum accounted for over 75% of the blockchain transactions in the region, while Polygon's share nearly doubled to 20%.
• The appeal of a mature ecosystem: Developers cite transparency, ease of use, and regulatory clarity as the main reasons for choosing mature ecosystems over emerging platforms.
• Focus on real-world issues: The study indicates that the developer community in Latin America demonstrates “strong technical maturity” and is increasingly focused on solving problems in the real world rather than reinventing infrastructure.

Conclusion

Ethereum, with its large active developer base and strong Layer-2 ecosystem, continues to maintain its leadership in development activities. However, Solana's remarkable growth, particularly a 61.7% increase over two years, indicates that the competitive landscape in the public chain space is becoming increasingly intense. Despite ongoing questions about the transparency of developer statistics, developer activity remains a key indicator of the long-term viability of blockchain. Meanwhile, the choices of developers in emerging markets such as Latin America for mature ecosystems also reflect a trend in the industry shifting from infrastructure competition to application and practicality development.

This article is for news information only and does not constitute any investment advice. The cryptocurrency market is highly volatile, and investors should make decisions cautiously.