List of the Top 6 Layer 1 Protocols for Chainlink in 2025

NEAR is a cutting-edge open-source framework that simplifies the development of decentralized applications, providing the fastest pathway for creators to launch their projects in the market. Committed to building tools that support community-led progress worldwide, NEAR, developed by Near Inc, aims to integrate blockchain technology into a variety of mainstream uses. By focusing on enhancing both the developer experience and the end-user journey, NEAR delivers a high-performance infrastructure that is accessible to a diverse audience. This platform for decentralized applications is built with a strong emphasis on security, capable of managing critical assets like money and identity, while also ensuring ease of use for everyday activities, thereby empowering users to harness the advantages of the Open Web. The NEAR token economy revolves around the NEAR token, which acts not only as a medium of exchange within the ecosystem but also enables holders to interact with applications, participate in governance, and earn rewards through staking. Ultimately, NEAR is revolutionizing the way individuals engage with blockchain technology by blending exceptional performance with strong security measures. The platform’s innovative architecture encourages ongoing development and engagement, fostering a vibrant ecosystem where creativity and collaboration can thrive.

Kusama provides unmatched interoperability and scalability for blockchain developers eager to push the limits of creativity and technological advancements. Built using Substrate and sharing a nearly identical codebase along with an advanced multichain infrastructure with Polkadot, it distinguishes itself through its remarkable features. In an era where the equilibrium between technology and society has diminished, often resulting in large organizations overstepping their bounds, Kusama acts as a dynamic and rapid 'canary in the coal mine' for its more established sibling, Polkadot. This lively platform caters to innovators who aspire to reclaim power, spark imagination, and defy traditional standards. Prioritizing speed, it encourages developers to swiftly bring their ideas to life. The adventurous ethos of Kusama allows developers to easily navigate governance and upgrade pathways, promoting rapid growth and development. By operating on a state-of-the-art, sharded multichain network, users can take advantage of the latest advancements before they are rolled out on Polkadot, keeping them at the cutting edge of technological evolution. This forward-thinking mentality nurtures an environment of ongoing enhancement and quickens the flow of innovation throughout the blockchain community, fostering a vibrant ecosystem where change is not only welcomed but actively pursued.

Kadena's public blockchain is a high-throughput Proof of Work network that intertwines multiple chains, enhancing both scalability and throughput while maintaining the security and integrity associated with Bitcoin. By leveraging its native token, KDA, Kadena provides a reliable and scalable solution for digital currency transactions. Furthermore, it promotes data sharing and is being implemented across various industries such as finance, healthcare, and insurance. The mainnet of Kadena is now entirely open for public mining activities, and the latest updates can be found on the Chainweb-node GitHub Project, where users can also monitor the real-time mining of its parallel chains through Kadena’s Block Explorer. Additionally, we have introduced our Testnet Portal, which acts as an all-inclusive resource for downloading the testnet wallet, obtaining testnet coins, playing games, and participating in interactive experiences with our blockchain. This groundbreaking public blockchain utilizes a massively parallel protocol that greatly enhances the efficiency of Proof of Work processes. Through these advancements, Kadena seeks to transform the integration of blockchain technology into daily applications, fostering innovation across various sectors. As it grows, the potential for Kadena to create new opportunities and solutions in the blockchain space becomes increasingly evident.

The realm of blockchain technology is advancing at a remarkable rate, yet public and private blockchain networks still operate separately from one another. It is crucial for Open Finance to forge connections between these distinct networks. This groundbreaking initiative promotes financial autonomy, empowerment, and a level of interconnectedness that has never been experienced by humanity before. Our mission is to promote this evolution through a web of global networks. Wanchain emerges as the leading platform for blockchain interoperability, effectively bridging the divide between isolated public and private blockchains to enable the effortless transfer of digital assets and information across the globe. Users can secure tokens on their original blockchain using a decentralized and non-custodial approach, allowing them to leverage proxy tokens in various decentralized applications within Wanchain’s broad cross-chain ecosystem. Once users have utilized these proxy tokens, they can burn them to retrieve their original tokens. Additionally, Wanchain provides the essential economic framework that empowers developers to build innovative financial applications that span multiple blockchains and connect diverse communities, thus laying the groundwork for a more cohesive financial landscape. This integration not only enhances user experience but also fosters collaboration among different blockchain ecosystems, promoting a holistic approach to financial innovation.

At Zilliqa, we leverage our swift, efficient, and economical blockchain technology to transform the digital infrastructure for various communities and industries worldwide. Our primary focus is to deliver a scalable and secure platform specifically designed for developers and businesses looking to build decentralized applications. The pioneering implementation of sharding allows our blockchain to grow in a linear fashion, ensuring that the Zilliqa platform can meet the evolving needs of an expanding ecosystem of miners and applications. In addition, Zilliqa is powered by Scilla, the first smart contract language to undergo peer review, emphasizing security as a foundational element. By incorporating functional programming concepts similar to those found in OCaml, Scilla improves its compatibility with static analysis and formal verification methods. Moreover, Zilliqa's consensus mechanism greatly reduces the environmental footprint of mining operations, as it only requires a minute of mining every 2-3 hours, enabling dual-mining activities with other blockchain networks concurrently. This innovative strategy not only promotes sustainability but also encourages a broader range of users to engage with the platform. Ultimately, our commitment to enhancing blockchain technology is reflected in every facet of Zilliqa's development and operation.

Harmony is a high-speed, open blockchain that operates its mainnet to run Ethereum applications with a remarkable two-second response time and fees that are 100 times lower. With secure bridges, Harmony enables seamless cross-chain asset transfers between Ethereum, Binance, and various other networks, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for creators to engage with their communities. Its bridges facilitate connections between both Proof of Work and Proof of Stake chains, ensuring versatility and inclusivity. The FlyClient architecture is designed to be completely trustless and highly gas-efficient, currently safeguarding tens of millions of cross-chain assets from Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain. Developers can easily switch the Chain ID, allowing for swifter execution of EVMs that maintain identical bytecode, simplifying migration to Harmony with their existing Web3 tools. For users, familiar platforms like MetaMask and Ledger remain accessible, and they will benefit from significantly reduced transaction fees. Additionally, any Ethereum portal or wallet can operate on Harmony without requiring code alterations or new installations, making it an attractive option for a broader audience. Overall, Harmony's innovative approach not only enhances performance but also streamlines the user experience across different blockchain environments.