Is Ethereum’s DeFi Future on L2s? Liquidity, Innovation Say Perhaps Yes

Ethereum is in the midst of a paradox. Even as ether hit record highs in late August, decentralized finance (DeFi) activity on Ethereum’s layer-1 (L1) looks muted compared to its peak in late 2021. Meanwhile, layer-2 (L2) networks like Arbitrum and Base are booming, with billions in total value locked (TVL).