Are Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum and Base the final answer to Ethereum's massive gas fee issues?

All answers to this question.

There won't be one "winner" because different applications have different needs. In 2025, Arbitrum is leading in DeFi liquidity, while Base (by Coinbase) is winning on consumer onboarding. However, ZK-Rollups are the long-term technical gold standard because they provide mathematical proof of validity rather than relying on a "challenge period." The industry is moving toward "Aggregated Layers" where all these L2s can share liquidity seamlessly. We aren't stuck; we are just in the middle of a massive architectural upgrade.

   Answered 2025-06-12 by Megan Roberts

Megan, for a developer starting a new project today, is it safer to build directly on an L2, or should we use an "App-Chain" framework like the OP Stack to have more control?

   Answered 2025-06-14 by Kevin Murphy

• Kevin, it depends on your scale. If you're building a niche game or a specific high-frequency trading platform, an App-Chain gives you incredible sovereignty. But for 90% of devs, building on an existing L2 like Arbitrum is better because that's where the users and the money already are. Don't build a private island if you can just set up shop in a thriving city where the infrastructure is already paid for.

     Commented 2025-06-15 by Megan Roberts

Gas fees on L2s are already down to fractions of a cent after the Dencun upgrade. The "High Fee" argument against Ethereum is basically dead at this point.

   Answered 2025-06-17 by Charles Reed

• Great point, Charles. The Proto-Danksharding implementation was a game-changer. It has made micro-transactions on-chain actually viable for the first time in history.

     Commented 2025-06-18 by Deborah Lewis