These 3 Layer-2 Cryptos Could Outshine Polygon (POL) As Adoption Slows

Arbitrum Holds Ground—Despite a 73.77% drop, Arbitrum’s market cap growth and ecosystem expansion sustain its position in the Layer-2 race.

Injective Shows Exceptional Gains – A 1307% all-time rise and near-full token release make Injective a low-inflation contender with lasting momentum.

Optimism Remains in Play—Price weakness contrasts with strong technical progress, keeping Optimism relevant as Polygon (POL) adoption slows.

Arbitrum, Injective, and Optimism are showing notable movements in market metrics, suggesting they could outshine Polygon(POL) as adoption slows. Each project holds distinct strengths and market positions, while recent price action highlights resilience despite overall declines in the broader crypto sector. Their circulating supplies, market cap changes, and liquidity levels indicate active engagement and potential for renewed momentum.

Arbitrum Shows Volatility but Retains Market Strength

Arbitrum (ARB) trades at $0.4712, reflecting a steep 73.77% decline from previous highs. However, its market cap increased 8.68% in the last 24 hours, reaching $2.42 billion. The circulating supply stands at 5.15 billion ARB from a total of 10 billion, with no fixed maximum supply.

Trading volume reached $344.6 million, marking a 14.02% daily drop, and the volume-to-market-cap ratio stands at 14.19%. This ratio shows moderate liquidity activity compared to its total valuation, keeping it relevant in Layer-2 competition. Historical charts reveal peaks in mid-2024 and early 2025, followed by sharp declines that reflect speculative cycles.

Despite recent losses, Arbitrum maintains a strong Layer-2 presence and continues expanding its ecosystem. This positioning keeps it in the conversation when comparing rivals that could outshine Polygon (POL) as adoption slows. Sustained developer activity and growing integrations reinforce its competitive role in Ethereum scaling solutions.

Injective Maintains High Returns Despite Corrections

Injective (INJ) currently trades at $14.70, holding a 1307.48% all-time gain since launch. Its market cap rose 3.56% in the past day to $1.47 billion. Circulating supply is nearly fully released, with 99.97 million INJ of a 100 million total.

The daily trading volume is 1.09 billion, and the ratio between volume to market capitalization is 7.41 percent with a 24-hour decrease of 29.45 percent. The past statistics indicate significant rallies during the end of 2023, where the prices were above the $40 mark after corrections set a new base point of trading. These trends indicate high involvement of the community and interest in its local decentralized finance system.

With limited inflation risk and strong historical growth, Injective remains a standout Layer-2 alternative. It continues attracting use cases that could push adoption higher and potentially outshine Polygon (POL) as adoption slows. The network’s decentralized derivatives and exchange capabilities add to its growth potential.

Optimism Struggles After Peak but Remains Active

Optimism (OP) trades at $0.8096, down 82.28% from its highs, yet its market cap rose 6.26% in the past day to $1.41 billion. The circulating supply is 1.75 billion OP of a 4.29 billion total and maximum supply. Unlocked market cap now sits at $1.72 billion.

It trades at a 23.81 percent decrease with a daily trading volume of $267.7 million, but the rate of the volume to the market capitalization of 18.92 percent indicates trading of the tokens. According to the charts, there will be a massive rise to over 4 in the early beginning of 2024 and a decline over the longer term of the year 2025. This trajectory suggests weakened sentiment but ongoing market participation.

Optimism still advances technical upgrades and partnerships within Ethereum scaling. These developments keep it in the list of projects that could outshine Polygon (POL) as adoption slows. Its sustained trading activity and ecosystem growth maintain its relevance despite price declines.