Active Addresses

Active addresses counts the distinct addresses that appear as a sender or a receiver on a chain during a given period, usually one day. It is one of the oldest on-chain usage metrics because it is easy to compute from public data and comparable over time on the same network. It is not a user count. One person can control many addresses, a single exchange address can serve thousands of customers, and automated systems, airdrop farming and internal transfers all create address activity without adding people. Definitions also vary between data providers, so dashboards can disagree on the same day. Treat active addresses as a rough description of chain activity that needs context, not a headline audience figure.