Amid tension within some parts of the Ethereum ecosystem, Vitalik Buterin has outlined proposals for Ethereum’s L1 and L2 scaling, focusing on data throughput and proof systems to meet network demands.
In his last Blog posthe described expansions to BLOB capability and coordinated interoperability initiatives aimed at simplifying cross-chain operations. The post highlighted a plan to balance technical solutions with Ethereum’s social structure, emphasizing that a single chain cannot meet all needs without risking decentralization. Buterin suggested that better security on L2S through multiple proving systems and standardized bridges could alleviate trust assumptions and allow different networks to experiment with different virtual machines.
Buterin highlighted the role of “blob” space expansion as an immediate solution to easing layer-2 congestion and suggested that Ethereum’s base layer must accommodate growing data requirements. The ecosystem currently processes about three blobs per slot – roughly 210 transactions per second – although updates labeled Pectra and peerdas could double or triple this throughput.
He emphasized the need for a coordinated roadmap, with deployment mechanisms that may adjust BLOB targets to match technical improvements. Buterin also mentioned more experimental concepts, including partial trust assumptions for Stakers with fewer resources, though he was cautious about designs that risk undermining Ethereum’s core principles.
He explained that interoperability is a central priority. Rollups function as unique shards controlled by different entities, leading to inconsistent message passing standards and address formats. This has created fragmentation for developers and users, motivating calls for cross-chain tools that maintain trustless security rather than relying on multisig bridges.
Buterin proposed uniform methods for verifying evidence, expedited deposition and recording times, and chain-specific addresses, including IDs for each Layer-2 environment. Some developers see this approach as an important step toward easy-to-use cross-chain navigation, though Buterin emphasized that enforcing explicit security guarantees remains critical for all deployments.
Protecting ETH value in the Ethereum ecosystem
The feature also touched on economic incentives to cement ETH as a triple-point asset, noting that a combination of fee burn on rollups, ongoing data fees from “Blobs,” and on-chain revenues from potential maximum extractable value channels could undermine Ethereum’s monetary role could anchor. .
He said the ecosystem system must
“Agree with cementing ETH as the primary asset of the larger (L1+L2) Ethereum economy, supporting applications that use ETH as primary collateral, etc.”
He argued that rollups should consider pouring some fees back into Ethereum’s ecosystem, possibly through permanent deployment or targeted funding of public goods. However, he cautioned that fee structures and demand remain uncertain and no mechanism guarantees long-term price support for ETH.
Tier 2 adoption and rollups are currently driving ecosystem growth, but Buterin emphasized that a full transition to rollups will require both technical advancement and social coordination. He urged developers to focus on production-ready proof systems, shared sequencing solutions and standards that unify cross-rollup operations.
He also invited wallet providers to implement new address formats and bridging protocols, explaining that achieving these goals will require direct collaboration between the Ethereum Foundation, client teams and Layer-2 projects.
Buterin’s post concluded with a reminder that Ethereum’s social ethos underlies its technical blueprint, referencing the community’s role in sustaining a decentralized project. He called for direct involvement of all stakeholders, including token holders, who can influence the roadmap’s decisions through governance and open discussions.
He noted that the evolution of the network depends on balancing capacity to scale, maintaining security, and maintaining a cohesive user experience. The latest message called for continued collaboration to ensure Ethereum remains an open platform capable of supporting widely used decentralized applications.
Ethereum Foundation’s leadership and financial moves
The post comes amid community division and a restructuring of Ethereum Foundation’s leadership as it focuses on strengthening collaboration with developers while adhering to core values such as decentralization and privacy. In an effort to remain neutral in political matters, the foundation continues to emphasize its commitment to advancing protocol development without engaging in ideological or lobbying activities.
However, Buterin’s role as co-founder has been endlessly debated on social media, with some calling for more involvement in Ethereum projects and NFT collections, while others pushing for complete neutrality.
The community is pushing a narrative that Ethereum’s success depends on maintaining both a robust L1 and a thriving L2 ecosystem that suits varied use cases. Buterin’s blog underscored the importance of flexible but trust-minimized systems, calling for L2 adoption that reflects early visions of Ethereum’s Sharded Architecture.
He argued that prioritizing BLOB throughput and shared rollup standards would allow developers to refine DeFi, social applications, enterprise solutions and more. He also pointed out the need for unified address formats, faster transaction finality, and cross-chain messaging protocols so users can navigate different L2s without fragmented workflows.
