Analyst Ryan Berckmans argues Ethereum's growth will be driven by real businesses adopting Ethereum L1+L2, using Robinhood as a model for onchain adoption.
Tech & Launches ·
An analyst argues that Ethereum's next phase of growth will be shaped by mainstream businesses adopting Ethereum's Layer 1 and Layer 2 infrastructure over alternative standalone blockchain solutions. The thesis positions Robinhood as a model case for how real-world businesses can integrate onchain operations at scale.
Layer 2 networks execute transactions off Ethereum's main chain while settling them on L1, enabling higher throughput and lower costs without sacrificing the base layer's security and decentralization guarantees. The Ethereum ecosystem now encompasses multiple L2 architectures—optimistic rollups, zero-knowledge rollups, and hybrid designs—operated by networks including Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, Polygon, Starknet, and zkSync. Large exchanges, wallets, and application platforms have begun building directly on these L2 infrastructure rails.
The prediction hinges on whether major businesses will view L1+L2 as a more compelling platform than purpose-built blockchains. Whether this adoption pattern will materialize as the dominant mode of ecosystem growth, and at what pace enterprise integration occurs, remains to be demonstrated in practice.