A new research report from Cryptopolitan reveals that Web3 is shifting towards modular architecture. It’s away from monolithic blockchains like Solana and Pre-Rollup Ethereum.
Research, available Cryptopolitan Reports Section The key signals of this transition highlight the wave of developer interest and the increased adoption of rollups.
According to a new report from Cryptopolitan, modular chains better reflect the core values of Web3. They emphasize decentralization, specialization, and open innovation.
Monolithic architectures provide tight integration of blockchain capabilities such as consensus, data availability, execution, and payments, and run on the same layer. A modular blockchain distributes responsibility across different layers or systems to separate these components and improve performance and flexibility.
More rollups live on public testnet
Monolithic blockchain works with all core functions: electricity, consensus, data availability. This design means that problems at one layer, such as execution errors and heavy transaction loads, can directly affect the entire system, even disrupt consensus. In fact, network congestion in monolithic systems has caused failures across multiple systems.
Ideally, improving scalability in monolithic designs often means weakening security. Modular architecture overcomes this limitation by separating execution from consensus, allowing both to scale independently while maintaining robust security.
Fragmentation can weaken network cohesion and fluidity, but modular architectures support faster innovation, customized features and horizontal scalability.
The modular architecture allows data availability, payments, and execution to be developed independently and in parallel. Additionally, the shared payment layer provides a secure foundation for cross-linked layer interactions, allowing a variety of applications to work together across the running layer, allowing for richer complexity and safer multi-chain coordination.
Module shifts are still in their early days, but they’re gaining momentum. By 2026, there could be a surge in obtaining rollups, adjusting ecosystem levels, and standardising of tools. Data availability layers such as Celestia and Avail are expected to lead developer options. In contrast, the execution layer is expected to evolve into a highly specialized niche solution.
The report notes that more than 40 rollups are involved in production or are available on public testnets. L2 development is up 230% year-on-year, with optimism, arbitrum and bases driving the most Github activity.
Developers are gaining interest in modular blockchain tools. Since its live performance in late 2023, Celestia has been increasingly recruiting, with the DA layer being integrated through over 25 modular chains. Early stage rollout and testnet.
The modular infrastructure project has collected over $400 million since 2022. Some notable funding rounds include a $50 million solar eclipse, $27 million availability, and $6.7 million Dymension.
Cosmos SDK saw a 13% increase in monthly active developers compared to the previous year. Additionally, Celestia-based Rollup attracted over 100 developers in the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, since the second half of last year, activities on Celestia, Rollkit and Avail Github have jumped over 50%.
Ethereum blockchain moves to modular architecture
Ethereum Blockchain has taken up the rollup and has become the official network transition from monolithic to modular architecture. In September 2022, Ethereum upgraded “The Merge” to better extend the Layer 2 network to the Layer 1 network, shifting from proof of work to the proof system.
Ethereum currently trades daily from 1 million to up to 11 million people in the L1 a year ago. Additionally, end users have lower transaction costs of over 99%, and the network achieves higher throughput without compromising the basic security of Layer 1.
Additionally, Ethereum rollups are tailored to a variety of use cases, including Defi, Games and IDs, to encourage ecosystem diversity and Spurs innovation.
Also, rollups communicate simply because their format is standardized as a lump, and Ethereum has a common security layer. Off-chain processes thousands of transactions for a second. Take advantage of Ethereum security by periodically resolving on-chain.
ZK-Rollups achieves similar scalability through encrypted proofs that provide instant finality. Both methods offer over 100x improvement in throughput without compromising the security of the underlying payment layer.
As the roll-up gains traction, some experts are developing more hybrid blockchains that incorporate key elements of both monolithic and modular architectures. The hybrid model aims to balance. Embed modular elements that allow for greater scalability and flexibility while maintaining the simplicity of a monolithic system.
