They all happened within 90 minutes in Hackney, Stoke Newington and Islington on Thursday night and detectives are treating them as linked.
The attacks began at 10.25pm on Thursday in Hackney Road.
The teenage male is being held at an east London police station on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and robbery.
The victims were taken to hospital, with one of them suffering "life-changing injuries".
One 32-year-old man on a moped was left with facial injuries after a moped, with two male riders, pulled up alongside him in Hackney at about 10.25pm.
