Vitalik Buterin’s L2 strategy: A closer look at Ethereum’s future

  • Goldfeder countered L2 criticism using Buterin’s 2020 roadmap.
  • Buterin likened L2s to web browsers, enhancing Ethereum’s ecosystem.

As a seasoned crypto investor with a decade of experience under my belt, I find Steven Goldfeder’s defense of Vitalik Buterin’s Layer 2 (L2) roadmap both enlightening and reassuring. Having witnessed the evolution of Ethereum from its infancy to its current status as the leading smart contract platform, I can attest that understanding the nuances of its development is crucial for any investor or enthusiast.


Lately, some experts have been examining Vitalik Buterin’s concept of Layer 2 (L2) solutions, stating that these solutions have deviated from the fundamental Ethereum [ETH] guidelines and the initial blueprint.

The suggested arguments indicate that L2 scaling solutions, intended for improving Ethereum’s capacity, now seem misaligned with the network’s fundamental goals.

Nonetheless, several criticisms fail to consider crucial elements of Vitalik Buterin’s 2020 rollup-focused plan, which lays out a distinct route for the advancement of Layer 2 technology.

Steven Goldfeder defends Buterin’s L2 roadmap

In response to these criticisms, Steven Goldfeder, co-founder of Offchain Labs, has recently addressed this matter in a post on platform X.

He countered the claims by revisiting Vitalik Buterin’s 2020 rollup-centric roadmap, emphasizing that the current development of Layer 2 solutions is still aligned with Ethereum’s long-term vision.

He said, 

If someone is saying that second languages (L2s) are out of sync, it seems they haven’t taken a look at Vitalik Buterin’s rollup-centric roadmap from 2020.

To bolster his point, Goldfeder presented “three direct counter-quotes” that contradict certain outlandish assertions, offering solid proof for Buterin’s initial plan.

The initial criticism stemmed from a common misconception that different Layer 2 (L2) solutions, such as Arbitrum and Base, could not belong to the Ethereum ecosystem due to their competitive nature. 

On the contrary, Goldfeder challenged this assertion by referring back to Vitalik Buterin’s plan, highlighting that it prioritized a different focus.

It’s perfectly fine, even beneficial, for Ethereum to be composed of distinct “islands,” each having its own uniqueness, yet all remaining connected and integral parts of the larger Ethereum.

Vitalik Buterin’s L2 strategy: A closer look at Ethereum’s future

These “islands” can still play a significant role in the broader Ethereum network, even with their unique characteristics.

Promoting a range of L2 (Layer 2) solutions for Ethereum enriches it, as these diverse methods provide multiple, harmonious strategies that enhance the network, not weaken it.

The second claim was that “L2 tokens are bad. Collecting fees/MEV revenue is bad and misaligned with Ethereum.”

Goldfeder pointed out that this claim is unfounded, emphasizing that,

“This was a key feature in the 2020 roadmap”

Vitalik Buterin’s L2 strategy: A closer look at Ethereum’s future

The final claim made by critics argued that “L2s aren’t meant for DeFi. DeFi should be left on Ethereum, and L2s supporting DeFi projects are misaligned.” 

To which Goldfeder replied, 

“Vitalik literally calls out DeFi as the expected first adopter in a comment on the 2020 roadmap:”

Vitalik Buterin’s L2 strategy: A closer look at Ethereum’s future

Further concluding his argument, he said,

Vitalik Buterin’s L2 strategy: A closer look at Ethereum’s future

Vitalik Buterin responds

Vitalik Buterin also joined the discussion and offered his perspective on Layer 2 solutions.

Vitalik Buterin’s L2 strategy: A closer look at Ethereum’s future

Currently, Ethereum’s price is finding it tough to surpass $2,500, instead trading at approximately $2,337. This represents a decrease of 0.91% over the last 24 hours.

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2024-09-11 15:04