Developer activity across blockchain ecosystems has declined sharply over the past year as programmers increasingly shift their attention toward artificial intelligence infrastructure and tools. Data from analytics platform Artemis shows weekly crypto code commits dropping roughly 75% since early 2025, falling from about 850,000 to around 210,000. The number of active developers has also declined by about 56%, reaching approximately 4,600 contributors across major blockchain networks.
The slowdown contrasts with strong growth in the broader software ecosystem. GitHub reported adding about 36 million developers in 2025, bringing its global user base to more than 180 million. Much of that growth is concentrated in artificial intelligence projects, with more than 4.3 million AI-related repositories now hosted on the platform.
Within crypto, most major blockchain networks have experienced declining participation. Ethereum and Solana have both reported notable drops in active developers, while newer ecosystems such as Aptos and BNB Chain have seen even sharper contractions. Despite the decline, experienced contributors now account for a larger share of development activity, suggesting the sector may be consolidating around a smaller but more established group of builders as competition from AI intensifies.
