Polygon Edges Out Ethereum in Daily Fee Generation

TL;DR

• Polygon surpasses Ethereum in daily fee generation, recording about $407,100 compared to $211,700 in a recent session.
• A surge in activity on Polymarket, with more than $15 million wagered on a single Oscars category, drives the spike.
• Polygon’s low average transaction cost near $0.0026 per transfer supports higher volume, strengthening its position against Ethereum in short-term fee metrics.
  

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Polygon edges out Ethereum in daily fee generation, marking a notable shift in short-term on-chain revenue dynamics. The development shows how application-driven demand can quickly influence network rankings, particularly when retail participation accelerates around high-profile events.

Polygon just hit an all-time high in daily USDC transactions

And it's not even close.
🔹 12M+ daily USDC txs on Polygon
🔹 Every other chain? Below 3M
🔹 Base, Arbitrum, Ethereum Mainnet barely register pic.twitter.com/SVlf5ci2xm

— Leon Waidmann (@LeonWaidmann) February 17, 2026

On a recent trading day, Polygon generated roughly $407,100 in transaction fees, while Ethereum recorded about $211,700. Although Ethereum remains the dominant smart contract platform by total value locked and developer activity, this daily comparison highlights how flexible scaling solutions can capture bursts of user demand.

Polygon Edges Out Ethereum In Daily Fee Generation Amid Polymarket Growth

The main driver behind Polygon’s fee increase is activity on Polymarket, a decentralized prediction market that has seen rising engagement tied to the Academy Awards. More than $15 million was wagered on a single Oscars category over the weekend, creating a wave of transactions on the network.

During the past seven days, Polymarket generated over $1 million in fees on Polygon. Other decentralized applications on the network posted significantly lower figures in the same period. This concentration of activity demonstrates how a single consumer-focused platform can temporarily reshape network-level revenue.

Prediction markets continue to attract users seeking transparent, blockchain-based alternatives to traditional betting platforms. By settling positions directly on-chain, these platforms generate recurring transactional demand that translates into measurable fee income for the ecosystem.

Fee Structure And Network Economics Compared

Transaction costs remain a central factor in this shift. Average fees on Polygon stand near $0.0026 per transaction, while Ethereum users often pay around $1.68, depending on congestion levels. For participants placing multiple small wagers or adjusting positions frequently, the cost difference influences where activity occurs.

Lower per-transaction costs tend to encourage higher overall volume. Even with inexpensive transfers, aggregate fees can climb when user activity expands. This dynamic reflects the broader role of layer two networks in scaling Ethereum’s infrastructure while maintaining compatibility with its security model.

Ethereum continues to anchor decentralized finance and host large-scale protocols. However, Polygon’s recent performance indicates that retail-driven applications can alter daily fee rankings. If prediction markets and similar use cases sustain engagement, layer two solutions may capture a larger share of on-chain revenue, reinforcing the evolution toward a multi-chain crypto economy.