Blockchain Performance Showdown: ICP and TON Take the Crown in April 2025
Top Blockchain Speed Leaders in April: ICP and TON Take the Lead with Highest Transactions per Second (TPS)
The recent blockchain performance report from Phoenix Group has put the spotlight on the significant differences between the top-performing blockchains and the rest. Leading the pack were Internet Computer (ICP) and Toncoin (TON), with ICP claiming the top spot with an astounding average of 4,800 transactions per second (TPS), while TON followed closely with 4,300 TPS.
These impressive figures are largely due to the optimization of their consensus mechanisms and sub-second block times. ICP's blocks take an average of 480 milliseconds to finalize, while TON swiftly completes blocks in just 390 milliseconds.
TON's performance was further bolstered by its robust user activity. The network boasted an impressive 13.7 million active addresses in April, easily outpacing Solana's 3 million and putting itself in a class of its own in terms of user engagement.
The superior speed and activity levels on ICP and TON suggest that these networks are well-equipped to handle large-scale operations consistently. This apparent efficiency might be a result of their optimized consensus protocols and infrastructure.
Struggles for the Mid-Tier Blockchains
When it comes to mid-tier blockchains like Solana, Near, and Avalanche, the results tell a different story. Solana managed a third-place standing in terms of TPS with 95.8, while Near Protocol and Avalanche followed closely behind with 81.7 and 70.4 TPS, respectively. Compared to the top two, these networks fall significantly short in transaction throughput despite their involvement in decentralized application development and smart contract platforms.
Sui, Polygon, and Arbitrum also struggled to keep up, with TPS of 66.6, 50.4, and 46.6, respectively. These networks support multiple decentralized finance (DeFi) and Web3 environments, but their transaction rates highlight the significant disparity with ICP and TON.
Ethereum and Bitcoin: Scalability Challenges Retain
Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain by market capitalization, lags far behind with a TPS of just 3.5. This puts it in a precarious position as it continues to grapple with the limitations of its scalability, aiming for solutions like rollups to improve its transaction throughput.
Bitcoin, another giant in the crypto realm, also struggled with its basic transaction throughput, reporting a TPS of 4.7. While its popularity as a store of value remains unquestionable, its slow speed compared to newer, optimized blockchains brings its performance into question.
Tron, Binance Smart Chain (BNB Chain), and Cardano also posted moderate TPS values, indicating a more thoughtful balance between speed, security, and decentralization. While these chains didn't quite make it into the top ten, they are still actively involved in network development projects.
The data from Phoenix Group offers a wealth of insights into blockchain performance. Beyond TPS, indicators like average block time and active addresses provide valuable insights into each network's activity. It's clear that while TPS is an essential causal indicator, it's not the sole factor in measuring a blockchain's effectiveness. Other factors, such as network size, consensus mechanisms, and incentive structures, come into play as well.
- The recent blockchain performance report by Phoenix Group highlighted the significant differences between top-performing blockchains and the rest, with Internet Computer (ICP) and Toncoin (TON) leading the pack.
- ICP claimed the top spot with an astounding average of 4,800 transactions per second (TPS), while TON followed closely with 4,300 TPS.
- These impressive figures are largely due to the optimization of their consensus mechanisms and sub-second block times; ICP's blocks take an average of 480 milliseconds to finalize, while TON completes blocks in just 390 milliseconds.
- TON's performance was further bolstered by its robust user activity, boasting an impressive 13.7 million active addresses in April.
- Mid-tier blockchains like Solana, Near, and Avalanche fell significantly short in transaction throughput, with Solana managing 95.8 TPS.
- Ethereum, the second-largest blockchain by market capitalization, lags far behind with a TPS of just 3.5, revealing its ongoing scalability challenges.
- Bitcoin, another giant in the crypto realm, also struggled with its basic transaction throughput, reporting a TPS of 4.7, raising questions about its performance.
- Insurmountable disparities exist between the transaction rates of newer, optimized blockchains like ICP and TON, and traditional blockchains like Ethereum and Bitcoin.
- The data from Phoenix Group provides insights into blockchain performance beyond TPS; factors such as network size, consensus mechanisms, and incentive structures also play crucial roles in measuring a blockchain's effectiveness.
