Unveiling Blockchain Performance: Real-Time TPS vs TPS Claims

Updated Feb 12, 2024

In the fast-changing world of blockchain, there’s a lot of talk about TPS (Transactions Per Second), but let’s dig deeper and find out what those numbers really mean. No fancy words or unnecessary details, just straightforward insights!

When it comes to blockchains, projects often boast about their “Max Theoretical TPS” numbers, making it sound like a big deal. But with the transparency of blockchain, we, the users, can see through the hype. Moreover, there’s usually a big difference between real-time TPS and the max TPS shown on those impressive websites. Today we will use metrics available at chainspect.app and compare them to “Max Theoretical TPS” numbers from blockchain network websites.

Let’s take a look at the TPS of Solana, Arbitrum, Avalanche, Ethereum, and Bitcoin.

Solana

Solana said it had “65,000 transactions per second,” but the reality is different. The real-time TPS? A solid 292.45! That’s a big 222 times difference. Yes, you read that right. The truth is a lot more down-to-earth.

Arbitrum

Arbitrum claimed “40,000 transactions per second,” but our research found a different story. The real-time TPS? A decent 12.43! That’s a significant difference — 3218 times to be exact. It’s an eye-opener.

Avalanche

Avalanche said it could handle “4,500 transactions per second,” but the real-time number is just 2.01 TPS. Crunch the numbers, and you’ll see a big 2500 times difference. It’s like seeing behind a magic trick.

Ethereum

Ethereum didn’t boast about TPS, but let’s see. The max TPS is 56, and the current TPS is 11.14. The difference is just 5 times, which is reasonable. They’re not trying to exaggerate.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin has never been a TPS superstar, and that’s okay. Theoretical TPS is around 7, and in the real world, it’s 2.97. It’s just a 2.35 times difference. Bitcoin is more about trust than flashy numbers.

Closing Thoughts

What’s the takeaway? These findings show a big difference between what blockchains claim and what really happens. While impressive numbers are nice, the real value comes from how much these blockchains are actually used.

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