Arkham Intelligence, a leading blockchain analytics platform, has announced it will cease tracking and supporting data for three Layer-2 (L2) networks: Linea, Manta, and Blast. The removal is scheduled to take effect on January 11, 2026. The company stated the decision resulted from a periodic review of chain integrations, evaluating criteria such as industry relevance, user demand, actual on-chain activity, and maintenance costs.
Arkham made the announcement via its official X (formerly Twitter) account on January 9, 2026, posting a notice specifically for Linea's removal. While the firm did not disclose the exact metrics that led to the cut, the crypto community and analysts have speculated that low user traction, minimal institutional interest, and insufficient on-chain activity on these specific chains made the operational costs of monitoring them unjustifiable.
The move has sparked intense debate within the crypto ecosystem. Arkham's support for L2 networks is considered vital for professional investors and analysts to detect whale movements, track token flows, and identify potential massive liquidations. The removal of these networks from the platform is expected to significantly reduce their visibility and transparency among market participants.
Despite this purge, Arkham's support remains steadfast for the sector's established giants. Networks such as Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, Mantle, and Polygon zkEVM have survived the review. These chains are noted for maintaining high user engagement and have demonstrated superior integration with Ethereum, particularly following key protocol upgrades.
The industry context points to an aggressive consolidation in the L2 landscape. Major Ethereum upgrades like Dencun in 2024 (introducing protodanksharding with blobs) and subsequent updates like Pectra and Fusaka in 2025 optimized data costs and efficiency for L2s that successfully integrated them. The upcoming Glasterdam upgrade in the first half of 2026 promises to further expand processing capacity. For projects like Linea (developed by Consensys), Manta, and Blast, losing Arkham's analytical support represents both a reputational blow and a technical challenge in a market where only the most efficient and widely adopted networks are likely to survive.
