Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Surpasses $3,000 Mark Stellar Value Jumps 92% BlockDAG Presale Exceeds $339 Million

In the third quarter of 2025, the Layer 1 blockchain race is intensifying as the market shows renewed strength. Ethereum has surpassed the $3,000 mark, reaffirming its status as the leading smart contract network. Stellar has seen a remarkable 92% increase in value over the past week, drawing attention to its role in facilitating fast and affordable financial transfers. Meanwhile, BlockDAG is making waves with its presale surpassing $339 million, offering coins at $0.0016 until August 11 as part of its GLOBAL LAUNCH release.

Ethereum's recent climb above $3,000 indicates growing market confidence, bolstered by its transition to proof-of-stake and a total value locked exceeding $90 billion. However, the network still relies heavily on Layer 2 solutions to manage congestion, which can lead to performance issues and rising fees during periods of high activity. While Ethereum's current momentum is strong, doubling its market cap would require a significant influx of capital, presenting a substantial challenge in the short term.

Stellar's main advantage lies in its simplicity and efficiency, enabling fast payments and low-fee transfers ideal for cross-border remittances. Its recent surge of 92% was supported by bullish indicators, suggesting continued upward momentum. However, Stellar's lack of compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) limits its ability to support a wide range of decentralized applications (dApps), resulting in a smaller developer ecosystem compared to platforms like Ethereum.

BlockDAG is gaining traction with its unique hybrid model, combining DAG architecture and proof-of-work to support over 15,000 transactions per second. This setup balances speed, security, and decentralization, a rare combination for any Layer 1 platform. BlockDAG's user-first approach includes EVM compatibility, a low-code contract builder, and a mobile miner app with over 2 million users globally. Its presale has raised $339 million, and the GLOBAL LAUNCH release offers BDAG coins at a significant discount, with early buyers potentially gaining 3,025% based on the confirmed launch price of $0.05.

BlockDAG's partnerships with local sports teams are helping to build visibility and attract broader, non-crypto audiences. Unlike Ethereum or Stellar, which focus on specific use cases, BlockDAG combines performance, accessibility, and community, positioning itself as a strong Layer 1 contender with wide reach. As the market continues to gain strength, these three platforms showcase different visions for blockchain technology, each with its own strengths and limitations.