«Build something that brings something really new. I gave some examples: privacy, application-specific efficiency, ultra-low latency, but my list is far from complete. With that phrase, published on February 5, Vitalik Buterin once again attacked the direction of second layer (L2) networks in Ethereum. Buterin’s message was not isolated: he deepened previous criticisms that had already been reported by BitcoinDynamic days before and pointed directly to a pattern that, in his opinion, dominates the recent development of the ecosystem.
This pattern pointed out by the developer has to do with the proliferation of chains compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) that They replicate the same technical and narrative design of other networks.
The result of this proliferation, according to Buterin, is an ecosystem where many L2s end up doing the same thing: executing any type of transaction cheaper and faster, without being differentiated by a specific purpose. Furthermore, this division fragments the ecosystem. In his diagnosis, connecting “yet another EVM chain” to Ethereum through an optimistic bridge became a convenient shortcut, repeated for too long. This type of connection, designed to move funds between networks, introduces deliberate delays before completing transfers, a friction that, according to Buterin, limits the user experience and does not justify repeating that model. Faced with this scheme, Buterin expressed in 2021, and reaffirmed it in January 2026, his preference for zk-rollups, a type of L2 that uses cryptographic proofs to prove the validity of transactions and allows a more direct and efficient relationship with the base layer. “We don’t need any more copied EVM chains, and we definitely don’t need any more new base layers,” he wrote, ruling out both the proliferation of generic L2s and the creation of new top-level chains.
Vitalik’s criticism of comfort
Although Vitalik does not use the word «laziness» literally, his text is crossed by concepts that point in that direction. He speaks of having «settled in», of repeating known formulas and of having exhausted the collective imagination. It is not, according to his approach, a lack of individual capacity, but rather structural incentives that push teams to choose the shortest path. One of those factors is the dependence on existing tools. The EVM stack, that is, the set of tools, languages and standards that allow smart contracts to be executed on Ethereum, offers a proven environment, with mature libraries and developers available, which reduces technical risks. Added to that is the pressure to pitch fastdriven by funding cycles and expectations of venture capital returns, which reward speed over deep experimentation. In this context, copying a known design is easier than exploring new architectures.
Ethereum scales, but it doesn’t solve everything
Another central point of the message is that Ethereum is scaling its own base layer. The evidence of this is that, as reported by BitcoinDynamic, L1 is at historical highs in daily transactions and, at the same time, its network commissions at historically low levels.
This behavior is due to technical improvements, such as the proposal called EIP-4844 included in the Dencun update, dated March 2024. This EIP optimized the management of large volumes of data in Ethereum by creating blobs, the space used by L2s to store their information outside the main network. To the reduce competition for space within blocksthe update helps keep fees low even with high network activity. Along with the level of transactions and low fees, Ethereum’s on-chain activity reflects significant growth. For example, the number of active wallets, network staking, stablecoin volume, among others. In addition to all this, the base layer of Ethereum, stated its co-founder, will expand its EVM-compatible block space. This will occur, mainly, as a product of the growth of the gas limit per block, which allows adding more and more operations in each block. That approach, however, is not without debate within the ecosystem. Some developers warn that raising the gas limit could increase hardware requirements to operate nodesmaking its operation more expensive and, consequently, increasing the risks of centralization in the network. While the growth of block space will not be infinite or without tensions, Vitalik acknowledged that industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) will demand even more capacity and lower latency. Even so, he maintained that the increase in space per block will be enough to question the need to multiply redundant infrastructure. From that perspective, launching new L2s just to “relieve” Ethereum misses the point. The question becomes another: what does this network provide that the L1 cannot, or should not, offer directly? For Vitalik, the answer lies not in metrics such as transactions per second (TPS), but in specific functions that expand the capabilities of the ecosystem.
Two valid paths to innovate
In his message, Vitalik outlined two approaches that you consider reasonable. The first is so-called application chains, where critical components, such as accounts or issuance, reside on Ethereum, while execution is moved to a specialized L2. The second corresponds to institutional infrastructures that, without being Ethereum or aspiring to total neutrality, provide verifiable algorithmic transparency, for example, in public registries or digital platforms. Both models, he maintained, could be synergistic with Ethereum if they explain their role and do not try to present themselves as something they are not. Under that framework, some recent initiatives seem to align with Buterin’s call. Although it does not mention it, an example is Payy Network, an L2 launched on February 4 on Ethereum with a specific objective: enabling private payments with stablecoins. This network does not seek to compete with the L1 in computational terms, but rather to offer confidentiality, low costs and rapid finality. in a specific type of transaction.
The mention does not imply an explicit endorsement of Vitalik, but it does illustrate the type of approach his message suggests: less repetition and more specialization.
