A fundamental reassessment of Ethereum’s core scaling approach is being urged by one of its creators. Co-founder Vitalik Buterin has publicly questioned the blockchain’s established “rollup-centric” roadmap, citing concerns over the pace of decentralization within its Layer-2 ecosystem. This call for a strategic pivot arrives during a period of significant technical development and challenging market conditions for the network.
Market Performance Adds Urgency to Strategic Debate
The discussion around Ethereum’s future direction is unfolding against a backdrop of substantial market pressure. The price of ETH has faced a severe downturn, currently trading near $2,270. This represents a decline of almost 25% over the past week, placing the asset close to its 52-week low. While institutional investment via spot ETFs, launched in 2024, continues selectively, a divergence is visible in the Layer-2 sector. Transaction volumes remain robust, yet the Total Value Locked (TVL) across these networks has retreated from the peaks witnessed in mid-2025.
Shifting Perspective on Layer-2 Networks
For an extended period, offloading transaction execution to Layer-2 rollups was considered Ethereum’s primary scaling solution. Buterin, however, argued this week that the vision requires adjustment. His central critique highlights a growing disparity: while the base Layer 1 has made significant scalability strides, the decentralization of Layer-2 solutions is progressing more slowly than anticipated. Many of these networks retain centralized control elements for technical or regulatory reasons, he noted.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Ethereum?
Rather than viewing Layer-2 projects merely as extensions or “branded shards” of Ethereum, Buterin proposes a new framework. The ecosystem should begin to perceive them as a diverse spectrum of blockchains with varying degrees of connection and integration to the Ethereum mainnet.
Upcoming Upgrades Aim to Bolster Network Fundamentals
Despite the high-level strategic debate, a series of concrete technical upgrades remain scheduled. The network is preparing for the “Glamsterdam” upgrade, slated for the first half of 2026, which is designed to optimize transaction processing for greater speed and cost efficiency. Later in the year, the “Hegota” update is expected to follow, focusing on enhanced data management, privacy, and censorship resistance. These developments build upon the foundation laid by previous “Dencun” and “Pectra” upgrades, which successfully improved fee structures for Layer-2 solutions.
The coming months will test Ethereum’s ability to advance its technical roadmap while simultaneously navigating a crucial reassessment of its long-term scaling philosophy.
Ad
Ethereum Stock: Buy or Sell?! New Ethereum Analysis from February 4 delivers the answer:
The latest Ethereum figures speak for themselves: Urgent action needed for Ethereum investors. Is it worth buying or should you sell? Find out what to do now in the current free analysis from February 4.
Ethereum: Buy or sell? Read more here...