Vitalik Buterin Calls for Innovation in Ethereum Layer-2 Ecosystem Beyond Standard EVM Chains

TLDR:

• Buterin compares standard EVM chains with optimistic bridges to governance forking, calling it overdone and stifling.
• Ethereum’s base layer scaling will provide substantial blockspace, except for AI applications needing more capacity.
• Deep integration with Ethereum mainnet should be foundational, not an afterthought for achieving favorable ratings.
• Projects must align public messaging with actual technical integration, ensuring vibes match their substance level.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has issued a pointed critique of the current Layer-2 ecosystem, urging developers to move beyond what he describes as repetitive approaches to blockchain infrastructure.

In a series of posts on X, Buterin expressed concern that the practice of creating standard EVM chains with optimistic bridges has become too commonplace.

He compared this trend to excessive forking in decentralized governance, suggesting it has limited innovation. The commentary comes amid growing debate about the future direction of Ethereum’s scaling solutions and their relationship to the mainnet.

Moving Beyond Cookie-Cutter Chain Designs

Buterin criticized the proliferation of standard EVM chains that rely on optimistic bridges with week-long delays to connect with Ethereum.

Writing on X, he stated that creating another EVM chain with an optimistic bridge is infrastructure’s equivalent of forking Compound in governance.

According to him, this represents something the ecosystem has done excessively because developers grew comfortable with familiar patterns. The approach has stifled imagination and led the industry into what he called a dead end.

The Ethereum founder emphasized that creating alternative Layer-1 blockchains without bridges to Ethereum represents an even worse trajectory.

He declared bluntly that the space does not need more copycat EVM chains or additional Layer-1 networks. Buterin noted that Ethereum’s base layer is already scaling and will provide substantial EVM blockspace for most applications.

However, he acknowledged certain use cases, particularly those involving artificial intelligence, may require greater capacity and lower latency than even a greatly scaled mainnet can deliver.

Developers should focus on bringing genuinely novel capabilities to the ecosystem, Buterin suggested. He offered several examples of valuable innovations, including privacy-preserving technologies, application-specific optimizations, and ultra-low latency systems.

The co-founder acknowledged his list was incomplete but stressed the fundamental principle: projects must bring something new to the table.

Rather than replicating existing architectures, teams should identify genuine technical gaps worth addressing.

The challenge extends beyond technical specifications to fundamental questions about what constitutes meaningful innovation.

Buterin’s comments reflect broader concerns that rapid expansion of Layer-2 networks may dilute rather than strengthen the ecosystem. This critique targets projects prioritizing speed to market over technological advancement.

Aligning Public Perception With Technical Reality

Buterin addressed the disconnect between how projects present themselves and their actual integration with Ethereum.

He stated his preference for application chains where deep connection to the base layer is fundamental rather than an afterthought.

His critique targeted projects that operate as separate chains but maintain minimal bridges, assigning limited development resources to achieve favorable ratings from tracking platforms. Such efforts prioritize superficial markers of integration over substantive technical connections.

The co-founder outlined his preferred architecture for applications like prediction markets. He suggested markets could be issued and resolved on Layer-1 with user accounts also on the mainnet.

Trading would occur on based rollups or similar Layer-2 systems that verify signatures and markets by reading the base layer.

This design ensures applications cannot survive without Ethereum technologically while maximizing interoperability and composability.

Buterin also acknowledged a category of institutional applications that put merkle roots and validity proofs onchain for transparency.

These systems, potentially used by government registries or social platforms, would not qualify as truly Ethereum-native. He noted that operators retain authority to switch to different versions with different rules.

Nevertheless, such implementations could advance verifiable algorithmic transparency, a property many desire in government and social media algorithms.

Projects should communicate their actual relationship with Ethereum honestly, according to Buterin. In his concluding remarks, he outlined two principles: bring something genuinely new to the table, and ensure vibes match substance.

The degree of connection to Ethereum in public messaging should reflect the actual technical integration. Those deeply integrated can legitimately present themselves as Ethereum applications, while institutional transparency tools should describe themselves as pursuing aligned visions without claiming full Ethereum membership.

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