Vitalik: “Ethereum should reduce reliance on L2s”…signals a sweeping review of its scaling strategy

Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of Ethereum, has formally called for a shift in Ethereum’s roadmap, saying it needs to move away from its existing scaling strategy centered on layer-2 (L2) networks.

According to Decrypt on the 4th (local time), Buterin wrote on X that “Ethereum now needs a new path,” adding that “excessive reliance on L2s no longer aligns with the original vision.”

Ethereum has long treated L2s as its core solution for scaling transaction throughput while preserving security and decentralization. A number of L2s—including Base, Polygon, Arbitrum and Optimism—have been built atop the mainnet, placing them at the heart of the scaling strategy.

However, Buterin said Ethereum mainnet scaling has already reached a sufficient level. At the same time, he noted that some L2 networks are sacrificing decentralization and argued they should not be regarded as Ethereum’s official scaling path or as “brand shards.”

“There are L2s that lack either the will or the ability to meet the conditions required of a true brand shard,” Buterin said. “Some have even publicly stated an intention to remain at Stage 1—not only for technical reasons but also because they believe they must retain ultimate control to address regulatory requirements.”

Under Buterin’s L2 stage framework, Stage 1 denotes a state with limited safeguards in terms of security and decentralization, while Stage 2 refers to a state in which operations and security are fully decentralized. He assessed that many L2s are hesitant to transition to Stage 2.

Buterin therefore argued that users and developers should not automatically view L2s as an extension of Ethereum, but should differentiate among networks based on their characteristics and trade-offs. Some L2s, he said, should be seen as separate networks that offer other benefits in place of security or decentralization.

He also urged L2 developers to change course. “It is no longer sufficient for L2s to be described simply as ‘scaling Ethereum,’” he said, stressing that each must clearly present its unique value proposition. The remarks are seen as potentially having a significant impact on positioning and marketing strategies across the broader L2 ecosystem.