The co-founder of Ethereum, Vitalik Buterin, has raised concerns about the stagnation in innovation within the Ethereum scaling ecosystem. In a blog post dated February 5, Buterin pointed out that the current trend favors the rollout of similar EVM-based chains that fail to introduce significant technical advancements.
Buterin criticized the tendency to create yet another EVM chain equipped with a straightforward bridge to Ethereum (ETH) and lengthy withdrawal delays, labeling this approach as the new norm. He likened this pattern to the early DeFi governance days when repetitive forks of protocols like Compound stifled creativity and progress.
According to Buterin, this lack of originality has diminished the potential for imaginative developments and has led infrastructure growth into a cul-de-sac. He expressed particular disdain for EVM chains that lack a substantial connection to Ethereum, asserting that the ecosystem does not require more standalone layer-1 networks.
Furthermore, Buterin emphasized that the base layer of Ethereum is currently scaling and is set to provide a vast amount of EVM-compatible blockspace. However, he cautioned that this capacity is not limitless, and Ethereum must be capable of supporting a diverse array of applications.
In addition to his critiques of technical innovation, Buterin voiced concerns regarding the decision-making processes within the Ethereum community. He argued for a shift away from informal, sentiment-driven governance towards more structured and accountable mechanisms. Instead of merely replicating existing systems, he urged developers to concentrate on creating platforms that deliver genuinely new functionalities, such as privacy-focused designs, application-specific efficiencies, and ultra-low latency execution.
Buterin”s remarks also extended to projects that claim a strong affiliation with Ethereum while having only superficial ties. He insisted that teams need to be transparent about their actual dependency on Ethereum.
As the Ethereum ecosystem continues to evolve, the call for authentic innovation and enhanced governance reflects a crucial moment for developers and projects within the space to rethink their strategies and ambitions.
