Blockchain Speed Comparison: TPS and Finality Across 15+ Chains

What TPS Means and Why It's Misleading

Transactions per second (TPS) is the most commonly cited metric for blockchain speed, but it tells only half the story. TPS measures how many transactions a network can process in a given second, but it says nothing about when those transactions are actually finalized and irreversible. A chain that processes 10,000 TPS but takes 10 minutes to reach finality is not necessarily "faster" than one that processes 100 TPS with instant finality, depending on your use case.

The problem is that most projects advertise theoretical TPS: the maximum throughput a network could achieve under ideal lab conditions with perfectly parallelizable transactions. In practice, actual TPS is almost always a fraction of the theoretical maximum. Network constraints, transaction complexity, state bloat, and validator coordination all reduce real-world throughput. When evaluating blockchain speed, you need to look at actual observed TPS alongside finality time to get an honest picture.

Theoretical vs Actual TPS

Every blockchain publishes impressive throughput numbers, but the gap between theoretical and actual TPS can be enormous. Solana claims 65,000 TPS in its documentation, but the network typically processes around 3,000 to 4,000 actual user transactions per second (excluding internal consensus votes). Aptos and Sui advertise over 100,000 TPS in benchmarks, but their mainnet throughput rarely exceeds 500 to 1,000 TPS during normal activity.

This gap exists because theoretical TPS is measured under ideal conditions: simple transfers, no smart contract execution, no state contention, and maximum parallelization. Real-world transactions are far more complex. DeFi swaps, NFT mints, and cross-contract calls all require more computation and state access than simple token transfers. Additionally, networks rarely operate at full capacity because sustained peak load would cause congestion, failed transactions, and rising fees. The actual TPS column in the comparison tool above reflects observed mainnet throughput, which is the number that matters for real users.

Block Time vs Finality

Block time and finality are related but distinct concepts that are frequently confused. Block time is the interval between consecutive blocks being added to the chain. Finality is the point at which a transaction becomes irreversible: it cannot be reorganized, rolled back, or double-spent regardless of what happens next.

On Bitcoin, a new block is produced approximately every 10 minutes, but the community convention for finality is 6 confirmations (about 60 minutes). This is because Bitcoin uses probabilistic finality: each additional block makes it exponentially harder for an attacker to reverse the transaction, but there is no single moment where reversal becomes mathematically impossible.

Ethereum produces blocks every 12 seconds, but finality requires two epochs of attestations from validators (about 12.8 minutes). This is economic finality: reversing a finalized transaction would require destroying at least one-third of all staked ETH (billions of dollars). Chains like Avalanche and Cosmos use different consensus protocols that achieve deterministic finality in seconds, meaning transactions are provably irreversible as soon as the consensus round completes.

For payments, finality is what actually matters. A merchant accepting crypto needs to know when a payment is irreversible, not when it first appeared in a block. This is why networks like Spark and Lightning are compelling for real-world transactions: they provide instant finality, meaning the recipient can trust the payment immediately without waiting for block confirmations.

Speed Comparison Across 18 Chains

The following table summarizes block time, throughput, and finality across major blockchain networks. Theoretical TPS represents the maximum throughput achievable under ideal conditions, while actual TPS reflects observed mainnet activity. Finality time indicates when transactions become irreversible.

*Ethereum L2 finality depends on the underlying L1. While L2 transactions confirm in seconds, they inherit Ethereum's 12-minute finality for full security. Soft confirmations on the L2 itself are near-instant.

Use the interactive tool above to filter by chain type and finality speed, sort by actual TPS or finality time, and quickly identify the fastest networks for your use case.

Why Finality Matters More Than TPS

For most real-world applications, finality is the metric that determines user experience. A payment terminal needs to confirm a transaction is irreversible before the customer walks out the door. A DeFi protocol needs to know that deposited funds will not be double-spent. An exchange needs to credit a deposit before allowing withdrawals.

High TPS without fast finality creates a deceptive sense of speed. A network might process thousands of transactions per second, but if those transactions take minutes to finalize, applications still need to wait before treating them as settled. This is why Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions have gained traction: the base layer is slow (7 TPS, 60-minute finality), but Spark and Lightning enable instant, final transactions built on top of Bitcoin's security model.

Conversely, some chains with modest TPS numbers offer excellent user experiences because their finality is fast. Avalanche processes fewer transactions per second than Ethereum on paper, but its 2-second finality makes it feel dramatically faster for end users. Cosmos Hub achieves 6-second finality through Tendermint BFT consensus, meaning every confirmed transaction is immediately irreversible.

Consensus Mechanisms and Speed

The consensus mechanism a blockchain uses fundamentally determines its speed characteristics. Proof-of-Work (Bitcoin) requires miners to compete to solve puzzles, resulting in slow block times and probabilistic finality. Proof-of-Stake (Ethereum, Cardano) replaces mining with validator staking, enabling faster block times but still requiring multiple rounds of attestation for finality.

BFT-based consensus protocols (Avalanche, Cosmos, Algorand) achieve the fastest finality because they require a supermajority of validators to agree on each block before it is committed. Once committed, the block is final by definition. The tradeoff is that these protocols typically require validators to communicate with each other in multiple rounds, which limits the number of validators that can participate efficiently.

Solana, Aptos, and Sui use novel consensus approaches optimized for throughput. Solana's Proof-of-History creates a verifiable timestamp ordering that allows parallel transaction processing. Aptos uses Block-STM for parallel execution, and Sui uses Narwhal/Bullshark DAG-based consensus. These architectures achieve high TPS but introduce different security and decentralization tradeoffs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest blockchain?

It depends on how you define "fastest." By theoretical TPS, Aptos (160,000) and Sui (120,000) lead the pack. By actual observed TPS, Solana processes the most real transactions at 3,000 to 4,000 per second. By finality time, Solana (400ms), Sui (480ms), and Spark (instant) offer the quickest settlement. For payments specifically, Spark and Lightning provide both instant finality and zero fees, making them the fastest practical option for end users.

Why is Bitcoin so slow compared to other blockchains?

Bitcoin was designed to prioritize security and decentralization above all else. Its 10-minute block time and 7 TPS limit are deliberate design choices that ensure the network can be run by anyone with modest hardware and that transactions are extremely difficult to reverse. This tradeoff makes Bitcoin the most secure and censorship-resistant blockchain, at the cost of base-layer speed. For fast Bitcoin transactions, Layer 2 solutions like Spark provide instant settlement while inheriting Bitcoin's security guarantees.

What is the difference between block time and finality?

Block time is the interval between new blocks being added to the chain. Finality is the point at which a transaction becomes irreversible. A transaction may appear in a block quickly (fast block time) but still take minutes or longer to become finalized. For example, Ethereum has a 12-second block time but requires approximately 12 minutes for a transaction to reach finality. In contrast, Avalanche has a 2-second block time and also achieves finality in 2 seconds.

What does TPS actually measure?

TPS stands for transactions per second and measures how many transactions a blockchain can process in a given timeframe. Theoretical TPS is the maximum throughput under ideal conditions (simple transfers, no congestion, full parallelization). Actual TPS is the observed throughput on mainnet during normal operation. The gap between theoretical and actual TPS is often 10x to 100x or more, making theoretical numbers unreliable for comparing real-world performance.

Are Layer 2 chains faster than Layer 1s?

Layer 2s achieve faster transaction confirmation (often sub-second) and higher throughput than their parent L1 because they process transactions off the main chain. However, their ultimate finality depends on the L1. Ethereum rollups like Arbitrum and Base confirm transactions in under a second but inherit Ethereum's 12-minute finality for full settlement. Bitcoin L2s like Spark provide instant finality at the application layer while periodically anchoring to Bitcoin for long-term security.

Does higher TPS mean a blockchain is better?

Not necessarily. High TPS often comes with tradeoffs in decentralization, security, or validator requirements. A chain with 100,000 TPS that requires enterprise-grade hardware to run a validator is more centralized than one with 15 TPS that anyone can validate on a laptop. The "best" blockchain depends on the use case: security-critical applications may prefer slower, more decentralized chains, while gaming or social applications may prioritize speed. For most payment use cases, a combination of fast finality and low fees matters more than raw TPS numbers.

How does Spark achieve instant finality?

Spark is a Bitcoin Layer 2 protocol built by Lightspark that uses a statechains-based architecture to achieve instant transaction finality. Instead of waiting for on-chain confirmations, Spark transfers ownership of Bitcoin and USDB stablecoins through cryptographic key handoffs that are instantly verifiable and final. This means the recipient can trust the payment immediately, with no waiting period and no transaction fees.

Which blockchain should I use for payments?

For payments, the key metrics are finality time and transaction cost, not TPS. You want the recipient to receive funds instantly and irreversibly, at the lowest possible cost. Spark offers the best combination: instant finality, zero fees, and support for both Bitcoin and USDB stablecoins. For Ethereum-ecosystem payments, Base and Arbitrum offer sub-cent fees with fast soft confirmations. Solana is also strong for payments, with sub-second finality and fees under $0.001.

This tool is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. TPS and finality data represent approximate values based on typical network conditions as of early 2026. Actual throughput and confirmation times vary depending on network congestion, transaction complexity, and consensus conditions. Always verify current network performance before making decisions based on this data.