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Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Circle Arc, Base and ArcBlock
Compare state, execution and application responsibilities.
A transfer changes balances; a permission grant changes who may act. These chains record and execute such changes in different ways. A useful comparison begins with those choices, then asks what the application still has to provide.
| System | State and operations | A useful next question |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | Transactions spend previously received, unspent amounts and create recipient and change records | Which records can the wallet spend, and what confirmation is needed after receipt? |
| Ethereum | Transactions update account and contract state through the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), its program execution engine | What does the contract authorize, and what execution budget is needed? |
| Solana | Data lives in accounts; each operation names the program to run and the accounts involved | Which program may modify the data, and whose signature authorizes the operation? |
| Circle Arc | Independent base chain (L1), compatible with Ethereum program execution, using the USDC stablecoin for transaction fees | Which Ethereum assumptions change, and which network is being used? |
| Base | Ethereum second layer executing transactions outside the main chain and publishing data to it | Which transaction response or Ethereum acceptance condition does the application require? |
| ArcBlock Chain | Named operation types describe account, asset and permission-delegation changes | Which operation type and rules express the requested action? |
Compare the same task
For a payment, compare authorization, execution success and the confirmation needed before delivery. For a credential, ask who issued the claim and how status is checked. A throughput number answers neither question by itself.
ArcBlock ARC runs applications; ArcSpace serves personal data. They occupy different layers from the chains in this table. A complete application also needs interfaces, access control and off-chain processing.
OCAP concerns access to chain data. It does not make different execution or finality rules identical. Choose the next lesson by the question you need to resolve, not by a universal “best chain” score.
Sources and further reading
Connections to ArcBlock
The comparison is about responsibilities, not a universal ranking. Ethereum and ArcBlock explains application–asset separation and the documented ArcBridge connection. That connection is distinct from Base’s L2 relationship with Ethereum.
Check your understanding
Are ARC and Circle Arc alternatives at the same system layer?
No. An application runtime and a blockchain have different responsibilities.
Continue along a learning path
- Understand the layers of blockchainStep 18 of 18
- Understand Bitcoin through a paymentStep 6 of 6
- Understand Ethereum execution and settlementStep 11 of 11
- Understand Solana accounts and instructionsStep 5 of 5