Modular blockchains split the classic monolithic L1 stack into separate layers — execution, data availability, consensus, settlement — and let each layer be optimised independently. Celestia was the first to launch a dedicated data availability chain with real usage. Avail followed. EigenDA (built on EigenLayer) is a third option.
The thesis is that specialised layers outcompete general-purpose chains on every axis, at the cost of more complex developer experience. Early results have been mixed — Celestia’s TIA token rallied hard through 2024 then gave much of it back — but the underlying modular stack is genuinely being used by new chains launching in 2025-2026.
For the broader scaling view see the Layer 2 sector. Data below is live from CoinGecko.