Vitalik Buterin Warns Ethereum L2 Projects: Stop Copying, Start Innovating

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has taken aim at the current state of Layer 2 projects in a follow-up post that has the crypto community talking. According to Buterin, most L2s are recycling the same tired formula and adding nothing new to Ethereum.

He compared the standard L2 approach to “forking Compound,” calling it “something we’ve done far too much for far too long, because we got comfortable, and which has sapped our imagination and put us in a dead end.”

“We don’t friggin need more copypasta EVM chains, and we definitely don’t need even more L1s,” he added.

Why the Original L2 Vision No Longer Works

Buterin’s frustration didn’t come out of nowhere. In an earlier post, he pointed to two key problems: L2 progress toward Stage 2 security has been much slower than expected, and Ethereum L1 is now scaling on its own, with gas limit increases planned for 2026.

“The original vision of L2s and their role in Ethereum no longer makes sense, and we need a new path,” he said.

With L1 set to handle a lot more blockspace directly, the main reason most L2s exist, scaling, is losing relevance.

What Vitalik Wants Ethereum L2s to Focus On

Instead of more generic EVM chains, Buterin wants L2s building around privacy, app-specific efficiency, ultra-low latency, and emerging sectors like AI, social platforms, and digital identity. These are areas where even a scaled L1 won’t be enough.

From Ethereum’s side, he also pushed for a native rollup precompile, a protocol-level tool that would verify ZK-EVM proofs and give real L2s secure, trustless connections to Ethereum without relying on security councils.

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“Vibes Should Match Substance”

Buterin also had a clear message on L2 branding. If your project barely depends on Ethereum for security, stop calling yourself an Ethereum L2.

“The degree of connection to Ethereum in your public image should reflect the degree of connection to Ethereum that your thing has in reality,” he said.

With Ethereum L1 scaling fast and Buterin publicly reshaping what counts as a legitimate L2, projects still running the 2021 playbook could find themselves without a purpose.