Ethereum bots drive $480B stablecoin surge as community reclaims DeFi highlight

The Ethereum community is staging a comeback in 2025 as bot-driven exercise and stablecoin development push the mainnet again into the middle of decentralized finance (DeFi). 

On June 4, crypto buying and selling platform CEX.io reported that automated bots facilitated 4.84 million stablecoin transfers on Ethereum’s layer-1 blockchain in Could. The amount reached $480 billion, its highest document so far. 

Illia Otychenko, the lead analyst at crypto trade Cex.io, linked the exercise surge to decrease transaction charges within the first quarter of 2025, which helped reverse a multi-year pattern of liquidity and person migration to rival blockchains and Ethereum layer-2 networks. 

Due to this, the mainnet’s stablecoin market capitalization grew by 11% in 2025, taking market share away from its layer-2 networks. Whereas the mainnet recouped stablecoin market share, the mixed stablecoin market on L2s solely shrank by 1%.  

Bots contribute to market effectivity and stablecoin adoption

Bots, which obtained quite a lot of criticism for controversial most extractable worth (MEV) methods and sandwich assaults, are actually being acknowledged for his or her function in enhancing liquidity and effectivity on Ethereum’s decentralized exchanges (DEXs). 

Cex.io mentioned these bots pushed stablecoin swaps to the highest of Ethereum DEX classes for the primary time. In April, stablecoin swaps accounted for 37% of the entire DEX buying and selling quantity on Ethereum and 32% in Could. 

The shift in buying and selling conduct throughout the Ethereum ecosystem signaled a broader give attention to utility and payment-driven use instances. In the course of the shift, Circle’s USDC (USDC) turned the most-traded asset on Ethereum. 

These adjustments point out that Ethereum is regaining market share and pushing DeFi towards extra secure and environment friendly mechanisms. If Ethereum can preserve a low-fee atmosphere, the community is well-positioned to change into a settlement layer for stablecoin, bots and DeFi infrastructure. 

Associated: Ethereum Basis says subsequent 18 months ‘pivotal’ amid new treasury coverage

Analyst says stablecoin focus isn’t just a part

Otychenko informed Cointelegraph that Ethereum’s rising give attention to stablecoins isn’t just a market part however a sign for real-world adoption taking root. “Speculative tokens come and go, however stablecoins stick as a result of they clear up actual issues,” he mentioned, pointing to rising demand for quick, dependable, borderless funds in rising markets.

Whereas utility-driven DeFi may cement Ethereum as a stablecoin settlement layer, the analyst warned that sustaining the lead requires extra than simply momentum; the community wants to deal with present challenges like liquidity fragmentation. 

“The community wants to unravel value and liquidity fragmentation throughout layers,” Otychenko informed Cointelegraph. “This isn’t only a technical challenge. It’s what’s going to resolve whether or not Ethereum leads or lags within the subsequent part of adoption.”