Arbitrum

Arbitrum (ARB) is one of the leading Ethereum scaling solutions, bringing cheap, fast transactions to a huge base of users in an environment that feels almost identical to Ethereum itself. Technically it is an optimistic rollup, and it has long stood as the top Layer 2 by total value locked. Major applications such as GMX, Uniswap V3, Radiant and Gains Network run on it.

What is Arbitrum?

Arbitrum is a Layer 2 network that executes transactions off Ethereum's main chain and then settles them back to it, dramatically lowering fees while preserving Ethereum-grade security. ARB is the governance token of the Arbitrum ecosystem, giving holders a say in how the protocol and its treasury evolve through the Arbitrum DAO. It is not a gas token; fees on Arbitrum are still paid in ETH.

How does Arbitrum work?

As an optimistic rollup, Arbitrum bundles many transactions into batches posted to Ethereum and assumes they are valid unless challenged during a dispute window, using fraud proofs to catch bad activity. This lets it inherit Ethereum's security while offering far greater throughput and lower cost. ARB itself is an ERC-20 token whose role is governance rather than consensus.

Arbitrum tokenomics and supply

ARB launched with a fixed maximum supply of 10,000,000,000 tokens, distributed via a widely watched airdrop and allocations to the DAO, team and investors. Circulating supply is roughly 6,362,841,042 ARB, with the remainder subject to scheduled unlocks.

• Circulating supply: about 6.36 billion ARB
• Maximum supply: 10 billion ARB
• All-time high $2.39; all-time low $0.0707
• Role: DAO governance, not gas (fees paid in ETH)

What is Arbitrum used for?

The Arbitrum network hosts a deep DeFi ecosystem, from perpetuals and lending to DEXs and yield protocols, plus NFTs and games, all benefiting from low fees. The ARB token's primary purpose is governance: holders vote on upgrades, grants and treasury spending that shape the Arbitrum and Arbitrum Nova ecosystems within the broader Ethereum world.

Where to buy ARB

ARB is widely listed; our best crypto exchanges ranking points to venues with strong ARB liquidity. Since ARB lives on Arbitrum and Ethereum, our best crypto wallets guide covers wallets that connect to the network so you can bridge, trade and vote. If governance participation matters to you, a self-custody wallet is the way to hold ARB.

Is Arbitrum a good investment?

Arbitrum's leadership in Layer 2 TVL is a genuine strength, but ARB's value depends on continued ecosystem growth and on demand for governance, and it faces stiff competition from other rollups. Ongoing token unlocks from the 10 billion supply can add selling pressure, and the token is volatile. Weigh network fundamentals against those headwinds and size positions carefully. This is informational content, not financial advice.