Which L2s drove ETH usage?

TLDR

Ethereum (ETH) usage this week was driven mainly by Layer?2 settlement activity, with notable mentions of Arbitrum, OKXs X Layer, and ZKsync in recent reports Ethereum activity surge.

1. Arbitrum: on?chain netflows were highlighted as a key watchpoint for ETH range resolution Arbitrum netflows analysis.
2. X Layer (OKX): real?world payments integration expanded usage via scan?to?pay at scale X Layer payments integration.
3. ZKsync: upgrades and L2 throughput narratives point to higher aggregate settlement on Ethereum L2 scaling outlook.

Deep Dive

1. Arbitrum Flows

Arbitrum activity was flagged as a bellwether for ETH usage, with netflows described as muted but pivotal for signaling a break in ETHs range. The analysis notes weekly ETH netflows on Arbitrum are choppy, and any sustained jump could precede a network?wide activity shift Arbitrum netflows analysis.

• Market commentary tied Arbitrum flows to broader ETH indecision, reinforcing L2s as an important lens on settlement and usage Arbitrum netflows analysis.
• Overall Ethereum activity hit a record, with a large share attributed to L2s settling transactions back to L1 Ethereum activity surge.

2. X Layer Payments

OKXs X Layer (an Ethereum L2) saw a payments push via AEONs scan?to?pay integration embedded in OKX Pay. The rollout claims access to tens of millions of merchants across emerging markets, with early transactional volume reported X Layer payments integration.

1. The integration bridges wallets and real?world commerce, increasing ETH?adjacent activity through consumer payments rails X Layer payments integration.
2. Such retail?style usage can add predictable L2 traffic that settles to Ethereum over time X Layer payments integration.

3. ZKsync and L2 Throughput

Recent outlooks emphasize L2 throughput increases, with Ethereum planning larger data blob capacity and parallel processing. ZKsyncs roadmap (Elastic Network, Atlas) aligns with keeping funds on L1 while trading on L2, implying heavier settlement flows into Ethereum L2 scaling outlook.

1. Higher blob counts per block could let L2s process hundreds of thousands of TPS in aggregate, amplifying settlement demand on L1 L2 scaling outlook.
2. Interoperability layers under discussion aim to move activity between L2s more easily, further normalizing L2?driven ETH usage L2 scaling outlook.

Conclusion

This weeks ETH usage was shaped by L2 dynamics: Arbitrum as a flow signal, X Layer expanding real?world payments, and ZKsync framing the scaling path. The causal link is simple. As L2 activity grows and settles back to Ethereum, base?layer usage rises, even when short?term price action looks muted.