Key Highlights
- Vitalik Buterin calls to focus more on building decentralized, censorship-resistant infrastructure for the internet.
- Ethereum achieved several key milestones in 2025, such as increased gas limits, increased blob capacity, and improvements in node software quality.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has shared a vision for the network in 2026, stating that while Ethereum has made major strides in 2025, it should focus on its original mission, including building decentralized, censorship-resistant infrastructure for the internet.
In an X post on Thursday, Buterin said Ethereum achieved several key milestones in 2025, which include increased gas limits, increased blob capacity, improvements in node software quality, and performance gains in zkEVMs.
Furthermore, he shared that the combination of zkEVMs and PeerDAS marked Ethereum’s largest step yet toward being a fundamentally new kind of blockchain.
Need for ‘world computer’
Despite Ethereum’s 2025 progress, Buterin warned that the network still faces challenges. He pushed for Ethereum’s long-term objective instead of focusing on short-term narratives or efforts to boost blockspace usage for economic reasons.
The co-founder of Ethereum shared that the network’s primary aim is to function as a ‘world computer’ that acts as core infrastructure for a freer and open internet. He added, “We’re building decentralized applications. Applications that run without fraud, censorship or third-party interference.”
Ethereum-based applications
Buterin also highlighted the importance of resilience, stating that users should not be affected by failures or attacks on service providers. He said applications built on Ethereum should remain stable regardless of changes in companies, ideologies, and systems, while also preserving user privacy.
While drawing comparisons with modern digital services, Buterin noted that many everyday tools have become subscription-based and dependent on centralized providers, creating reliance on corporate platforms. He called Ethereum a counter-movement to this trend.
Usability and scalability
Vitalik Buterin shared that Ethereum must continue improving usability and scalability to meet its goals while focusing on decentralization. He added that these enhancements should occur at the blockchain layer and the application layer. The blockchain layer includes the software used to run and interact with the network.
Concluding the New Year message on X, Buterin said the network has tools, but they must be applied effectively.
Buterin comments on AI and employment
Buterin’s comments on Ethereum for 2026 come just days after he joined the growing debate on artificial intelligence (AI) and employment. In an X post on December 29, Buterin exchanged views with economist E. Glen Weyl, outlining a human-centric philosophy for how AI should be developed and used.
The Ethereum co-founder suggested that any new AI lab should have a clear mandate to develop tools for human intelligence and avoid building anything that operates with more than one minute of autonomy.
Why it matters
Buterin’s comments highlight a push to keep Ethereum aligned with its principles as the network grows. By focusing on decentralization, usability, and resilience over short-term growth, the network is looking to enhance its ability to function as a durable infrastructure for open, censorship-resistant applications.
Also read: Vitalik Buterin Urges Stronger Decentralization to Curb Crypto Power
