Vitalik Buterin on Ethereum Market Research Center

Ethereum Scaling: An Evolving and Strengthening L1–L2 Relationship

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 02:12:06 +0000

Ethereum isn’t moving away from L2s—it’s entering a stronger phase where L1 scaling and L2 innovation advance together. As Ethereum scales directly on L1, L2s are freed to differentiate, specialize, and innovate beyond pure scaling. The result is a more resilient, flexible, and bullish Ethereum ecosystem with deeper interoperability and broader use cases.

There have recently been thoughtful discussions about the evolving role of L2s within the Ethereum ecosystem, particularly in light of two important developments:

Decentralization is Not an Aesthetic

Sat, 05 Jul 2025 12:07:39 +0000

*A Call to Action for Ethereum Builders to Uphold Credible Neutrality, Privacy, and Resilience
*Decentralization is not an aesthetic. It’s not a buzzword to sprinkle into marketing decks or a badge of honor for Layer 1s. It’s a set of design constraints that, when respected, give users meaningful freedom, not just the illusion of it. As Ethereum matures and mainstream attention intensifies, we are at a turning point. Either we reinforce our commitment to credible neutrality, privacy, and resilience, or we quietly slide into recreating the centralized structures we once set out to escape.