Quick Take
Vitalik Buterin is openly criticizing the flood of copy-paste EVM chains and generic Layer 2 networks, calling them a technological dead end.
He argues that Ethereum’s base layer is scaling fast enough to provide abundant EVM blockspace, reducing the need for repetitive infrastructure.
Instead, Buterin is encouraging developers to focus on specialized architectures, app-chains, and new models such as “institutional Layer 2s” that deliver real technical differentiation.
Ethereum Scaling Is Changing the Rules
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has urged builders to stop launching generic EVM-based chains that offer little innovation beyond replicating Ethereum’s execution environment.
In a post shared on Farcaster, Buterin said the rapid growth of what he called “copypasta EVM chains” has pushed the ecosystem toward a dead end.
“We don’t friggin need more copypasta EVM chains, and we definitely don’t need even more Layer 1s,” he wrote. According to Buterin, Ethereum Layer 1 scaling is already on track to deliver large amounts of EVM blockspace, making many new chains unnecessary.
His message was clear: builders should focus on creating something genuinely new instead of launching yet another look-alike blockchain.
Rethinking the Rollup-Centric Roadmap
For years, Ethereum’s scaling strategy revolved around Layer 2 rollups, often described as “branded shards” designed to boost transaction throughput.
Earlier this week, Buterin publicly reconsidered that approach. He said the rollup-centric model “no longer makes sense” in its original form, noting that Layer 2 networks have decentralized far more slowly than Ethereum’s base layer has advanced.
As Ethereum continues to scale directly at Layer 1, the value proposition of many general-purpose Layer 2s is becoming less compelling.
A New Spectrum for Blockchain Development
Rather than repeating existing infrastructure, Buterin outlined a broader spectrum of development paths that prioritize specialization and technical depth.
He highlighted areas where innovation is still badly needed, including privacy-focused protocols, app-specific efficiency, ultra-low latency systems, and verifiable, transparent algorithms.
According to Buterin, a project’s branding and public messaging should accurately reflect how deeply it is integrated with Ethereum, rather than using Layer 1 connections as a cosmetic afterthought.
Two Types of App-Chains That Actually Make Sense
Buterin described two app-chain models he believes can add real value to the Ethereum ecosystem.
The first involves architectures where accounts and markets live on Ethereum Layer 1, while execution and signature verification happen on a Layer 2. In this model, the Layer 2 is tightly coupled to Ethereum and can legitimately be considered an Ethereum application.
The second model is what Buterin calls “institutional Layer 2s.” These systems could be used by governments, registries, or large platforms to publish cryptographic proofs of their operations on a blockchain. While not trustless or credibly neutral like Ethereum, they can offer algorithmic transparency and unlock new forms of economic activity.
Layer 2s Aren’t Dead, But the Bar Is Higher
Despite the sharp criticism, Buterin hasn’t abandoned Layer 2s entirely. Instead, he sees them as part of a full spectrum of scaling solutions.
He reiterated that Layer 2s should aim for at least Stage 1 decentralization to avoid becoming what he previously called “vampiric” Layer 1s connected only by a bridge.
There is still a clear role for Layer 2 networks that can deliver extreme scalability for demanding use cases. Applications such as AI, high-frequency systems, and ultra-low-latency environments may require performance levels that even a heavily scaled Ethereum Layer 1 cannot fully support.
The Bigger Message for Builders
Vitalik Buterin’s message to the Ethereum community is blunt but consistent: the future isn’t in cloning EVM chains or launching yet another Layer 1. The opportunity lies in building specialized, transparent, and deeply integrated systems that expand what blockchains can actually do.
As Ethereum scaling accelerates, only projects that bring real technical innovation are likely to stand out.
