Analysts are examining the possibility of other chains stepping up to fight Ethereum’s dominance in the cryptocurrency market. ETC Group, a London-based fund provider acquired by Bitwise in August, has pitted Solana and Aptos against Ethereum, considering different variables to see which one has the chance of toppling the leader.

While Solana presents itself as a solid competitor, boasting strong numbers in inflows registered during Q3 2024 and a story price performance, ETC Group assesses that its “Ethereum killer” status makes it face strong opposition from Aptos and other chains that seek to grow in the smart contracts enabled crypto asset class.

The newsletter explained that Aptos exhibited a positive price performance during Q3 and a big network growth derived from the Gamefi project adoption. However, the decision to adopt Move, a relatively unknown language, as its development tool might hurt its growth due to developer apprehension of switching to a new chain without clear incentives.

However, ETC Group’s Comprehensive Network Dominance Index puts Ethereum over its competitors. The index, calculated by taking several key metrics like network utilization, economic density, network activity, and adoption, scores 45% for Ethereum. This number emphasizes “ongoing ecosystem expansion and sustained user engagement, despite facing increased competition.”

The organization stated:

Ethereum’s resilience in maintaining its market share underscores the strength of its established network effects and diverse application ecosystem.

Conversely, Solana scored 35% facing a downward trend attributed to growing competitive pressures from other networks. Aptos registered a 20% with a growing trend that suggests it might challenge Solana’s place as the first Ethereum competitor.

“Ethereum offers established dominance and stability, Solana demonstrates impressive growth and a proven track record, and Aptos shows potential for future innovation and ecosystem expansion,” the organization concluded.