In the rapidly evolving world of blockchain technology, transaction speed has become a defining benchmark for platform performance. As decentralized applications grow in complexity and user demand surges, the race to achieve higher throughput is intensifying. According to recent insights, Solana and Sui are emerging as front-runners in this high-speed competition, setting new records for real-world transaction speeds.
This surge in performance isn’t just theoretical—it reflects actual on-chain activity driven by trends like meme coin mania, gaming innovations, and increased adoption of digital assets. Platforms that can process more transactions per second (TPS) gain a competitive edge in scalability, user experience, and developer appeal.
Solana Dominates With Unmatched Speed
Solana has cemented its position as the fastest large-scale blockchain, achieving a peak of 1,504 transactions per second (TPS) on April 6, 2024. This milestone makes Solana 46 times faster than Ethereum and over five times quicker than Polygon—the leading Ethereum scaling solution.
Despite this impressive feat, Solana is operating at just 1.6% of its theoretical maximum capacity of 65,000 TPS. This indicates substantial headroom for growth as network optimization continues. However, rapid adoption has also brought challenges, including periodic network congestion during high-traffic events such as major token launches or NFT mints.
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Upcoming upgrades aim to address these bottlenecks, with improvements focused on quality-of-service controls, dynamic fee mechanisms, and better resource allocation. These enhancements could unlock even greater throughput, further solidifying Solana’s leadership in high-performance blockchain infrastructure.
Non-EVM Chains Surge Ahead of EVM Counterparts
A key trend highlighted in the data is the growing performance gap between non-EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) blockchains and their EVM-based peers. Among non-EVM platforms, Sui stands out with a peak TPS of 854, recorded in July 2023 during the viral success of the on-chain game Sui 8192.
Other high-performing non-EVM chains include:
- TON (The Open Network): 175 TPS
- Near Protocol: 118 TPS
In contrast, EVM-compatible blockchains average only 74 TPS, meaning non-EVM platforms are nearly four times faster on average. This performance advantage stems from architectural innovations such as parallel transaction processing, directed acyclic graphs (DAGs), and object-centric data models—features that allow platforms like Sui and Aptos to handle complex workloads more efficiently than traditional account-based systems.
BSC and Polygon Lead the EVM Pack
While EVM chains trail behind in raw speed, some are making significant strides. Binance Smart Chain (BSC) reached a peak of 378 TPS on December 7, 2023, fueled by a spike in decentralized exchange activity and yield farming incentives. Similarly, Polygon hit 190 TPS on November 16, 2023, driven by NFT drops and gaming integrations.
These numbers reflect strong ecosystem momentum, but they still fall short of Solana’s and Sui’s capabilities. That said, BSC and Polygon remain critical players due to their deep integration with Ethereum’s developer tools, liquidity pools, and wallet support—making them go-to choices for projects prioritizing compatibility over peak speed.
On-Chain Activity Fuels Performance Gains
The past year has seen unprecedented growth in real-world blockchain usage. Nearly all top-tier platforms have set new TPS records within the last 12 months, with 24 out of 25 major blockchains hitting their highest observed speeds during this period.
Key drivers behind this surge include:
- Meme coin explosions generating massive transaction volumes
- Bitcoin inscriptions and BRC-20 tokens increasing Layer-1 activity
- On-chain gaming and social apps demanding low-latency execution
- Retail investor participation across DeFi and NFT markets
As user expectations rise, platforms must deliver both speed and reliability. Solana and Sui are leading this shift by combining cutting-edge consensus mechanisms with developer-friendly environments that encourage innovation at scale.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the fastest blockchain in real-world use?
A: As of 2025, Solana holds the title for the fastest large blockchain with a recorded peak of 1,504 transactions per second (TPS), significantly outpacing most competitors.
Q: Why are non-EVM blockchains faster than EVM ones?
A: Non-EVM blockchains like Solana and Sui use advanced architectures such as parallel execution and object-oriented models, allowing them to process transactions simultaneously rather than sequentially—unlike traditional EVM chains.
Q: How does Solana achieve such high TPS?
A: Solana leverages a combination of Proof of History (PoH), Tower BFT, and GPU-optimized networking to enable low-latency consensus and high-throughput processing across its network.
Q: Is Ethereum slow compared to other blockchains?
A: Yes, Ethereum averages around 30–40 TPS under normal conditions. While Layer-2 solutions like Polygon improve scalability, base-layer throughput remains limited compared to high-performance chains like Solana or Sui.
Q: Can BSC compete with Solana in speed?
A: BSC achieved 378 TPS at its peak—impressive for an EVM chain—but still lags behind Solana’s 1,504 TPS. BSC excels in ecosystem maturity and low fees but doesn’t match Solana’s raw performance.
Q: Will blockchain speeds continue to improve?
A: Absolutely. Ongoing upgrades in consensus algorithms, sharding, and hardware acceleration are expected to push TPS limits even higher across multiple platforms in the coming years.
The trajectory is clear: blockchain performance is accelerating rapidly. With platforms like Solana and Sui pushing technological boundaries, the future of decentralized systems will be defined not just by security and decentralization—but by speed, efficiency, and real-time responsiveness.
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