Deep Dive
1. ZK-Proving Bottleneck Intensifies (24 December 2025)
Overview:
ZK-rollups like Blast face a $97M/year centralized prover market, where 60–70% of transaction fees go to GPU-dependent proof generation. Blast’s prover costs rose to ~$0.04–$0.17 per batch (4k transactions) in Q1 2025, contributing to high fees despite Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade slashing data costs by 90%.
What this means:
This structural inefficiency pressures Blast’s competitiveness against lower-cost optimistic rollups like Base. Until decentralized prover networks or ZK-specific ASICs (e.g., Cysic’s tech) mature, fee reductions may lag rivals. (Crypto.news)
2. Blast API Shuts Down Pre-Acquisition (3 November 2025)
Overview:
Bware Labs abruptly terminated Blast API’s RPC services ahead of Alchemy’s acquisition, disrupting dApp connectivity. Over 90% of ZK-L2s relied on Blast API and similar centralized providers, raising fears of censorship and MEV risks.
What this means:
The shutdown forces developers to migrate to alternatives like NowNodes or Alchemy, potentially fragmenting Blast’s ecosystem. Decentralized infrastructure remains critical for long-term resilience. (Yahoo Finance)
3. TVL Crashes 97% From Peak (26 August 2025)
Overview:
Blast’s DeFi TVL collapsed to $65M (from $2.2B in June 2024), with daily active users plummeting 95% to 3,500. The BLAST token’s FDV sank to $250M, far below its $2.9B launch valuation.
What this means:
Airdrop hunters exiting post-TGE and rival L2s (e.g., Base) capturing liquidity suggest Blast needs urgent ecosystem incentives. Long-term price forecasts remain cautiously optimistic at $0.0041–$0.015 by 2036. (The Defiant)
4. Blast Royale Ceases Operations (21 December 2025)
Overview:
The battle royale game shut down in June 2025, open-sourcing its code as its NOOB token crashed 99%. It joined 15+ crypto game closures amid a VC funding drought.
What this means:
Blast’s gaming vertical—a key growth pillar—faces existential risks. The collapse erodes developer confidence and highlights the sector’s reliance on speculative capital. (Decrypt)
Conclusion
Blast confronts a triple threat: technical bottlenecks, infrastructure centralization, and ecosystem attrition. While token unlocks briefly lifted prices (+15% in July 2025), network effects remain fragile. Can Blast leverage its native yield mechanics and pending ASIC solutions to revive developer interest, or will L2 consolidation leave it behind? Monitor prover-cost ratios and gaming-sector grant programs for turnaround signals.