The crypto perpetual futures market has experienced tremendous growth, but Ethereum's mainnet has struggled to keep up with the demand for fast and low-cost transactions. As a result, layer-2 networks like Arbitrum and Base have become the preferred choice for traders, offering faster execution and lower fees.
However, Ethereum's mainnet remains the settlement and collateral layer, providing the deepest liquidity and the widest range of assets. The distinction between Ethereum's mainnet and layer-2 networks has become increasingly important as decentralized perpetual exchanges mature and attract institutional attention.
While Solana and Hyperliquid have established themselves as major players in the perpetual futures market, Ethereum's role is evolving to focus on providing a secure and trusted settlement layer, rather than competing directly with other chains on speed and execution.