Key Highlights
- Ethereum gained 284,000 new users in Q1 2026, representing an 82% rise from the previous quarter.
- Transactions and active addresses reached 200.4 million and 12.6 million, respectively, indicating high network activity.
The number of new users on the Ethereum network increased in Q1 of 2026, with 284,000 new users joining the network, indicating an increase of 82% as compared to the previous quarter, according to on-chain analytics provider Artemis.
The data was shared by the platform on April 10 via X, highlighting growing interest in Ethereum.
The driving force behind the surge
The increase in new users corresponds to the spike in on-chain activities across Ethereum in Q1. The platform recorded a total of 200.4 million transactions during the quarter, marking the highest level ever observed and a 43% increase from the previous quarter.
Active addresses also surged sharply to 12.6 million during the January-March period, per data by DeFiLlama.
The growth is attributed to various factors, including the ongoing development of Layer-2 scaling networks that provide cheaper and faster transactions, growing interest in DeFi, stablecoin utilization, and a better user experience after some recent upgrades to the platform.
Meanwhile, Ethereum held the second position in the top 10 projects by token holders, following BNB Chain.
Increasing daily active users
Daily active users on Ethereum have likewise exhibited strength, recently averaging out at 693,000 users. The network experienced its highest daily transactions in early February, reaching almost 2.9 million before declining modestly toward the end of the quarter.
These high levels of newly acquired users follow Ethereum’s strong capital inflow on a net basis among leading blockchains in early 2026, amounting to over $2.1 billion, according to Artemis metrics. However, this growth in on-chain activity is taking place despite inconsistent performance in terms of ETH’s prices, which has stayed within a fairly narrow range around $2,100-$2,200.
Analysts consider such levels of new user accounts as evidence of genuine blockchain adoption rather than speculative activities, as more and more newcomers are participating actively in DeFi applications, NFTs, and tokens.
What it means
The 82% quarter-over-quarter increase in new users, reaching 284,000 in Q1 2026, highlights continued growth in Ethereum’s user base. With Layer-2 solutions lowering entry barriers and transaction volumes reaching new highs, the network continues to attract new participants.
It remains to be seen whether this will translate into increased developer adoption and value creation. According to Artemis stats, besides the fluctuating prices, usage trends remain strong on Ethereum.
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