Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin issued a blunt reality check to the crypto industry on X, stating that the original rollup-centric roadmap for scaling Ethereum “no longer makes sense.” He argued that most layer-2 networks are not truly scaling Ethereum, as their connection to L1 is mediated by multisig-controlled bridges.
“If you create a 10,000 TPS EVM where its connection to L1 is mediated by a multisig bridge, then you are not scaling Ethereum,” Buterin wrote. He defined scaling Ethereum as creating “large quantities of block space that is backed by the full faith and credit of Ethereum,” where activity is “guaranteed to be valid, uncensored, unreverted, untouched, as long as Ethereum itself functions.” High-throughput chains with multisig bridges do not meet that test.
Two developments upended the original plan
The rollup-centric roadmap envisioned layer-2s as “branded shards” of Ethereum—secure extensions that inherit Ethereum’s security guarantees. But Buterin highlighted two key shifts. First, progress toward higher decentralization stages among L2s has been slower and harder than expected. Second, Ethereum layer-1 is scaling directly, with fees staying low and gas limits expected to rise significantly in 2026. L1 no longer needs L2s to carry the bulk of transaction load.
“You are not scaling Ethereum”
Buterin stressed that networks relying on multisig bridges to connect to Ethereum do not qualify as scaling Ethereum. Many layer-2s are “not able or willing” to meet the decentralization and security standards required by the original model. Some choose to stay at “stage 1” intentionally, including for regulatory reasons. He gave an example: a project argued it would never decentralize further because “their customers’ regulatory needs require them to have ultimate control.” While Buterin acknowledged that approach may be appropriate for those users, he added that such systems should not be described as scaling Ethereum.
Layer 2s need new purpose beyond scaling
Buterin proposed viewing layer-2s as a spectrum of networks with varying degrees of connection to Ethereum, each offering different trade-offs. Instead of focusing on scale, L2s should provide value such as privacy features, application-specific design, ultra-fast transaction confirmation, or non-financial use cases—and be clear with users about the guarantees they offer. “This may be doing the right thing for your customers. But it should be obvious that if you are doing this, then you are not 'scaling Ethereum' in the sense meant by the rollup-centric roadmap,” he wrote.