Vitalik Buterin Says Layer-2s Are Like That Friend Who Never Leaves the Overflow Room

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Key Highlights

  • Vitalik Buterin just dropped a truth bomb: Ethereum is perfectly capable of scaling on its own. Who needs Layer-2 networks anyway? Maybe we should just have a party in the basement!
  • The Ethereum co-founder pointed out that many Layer-2s are still hanging out in centralized land, like that one friend who insists on using their own playlist at parties. Newsflash: it’s not about you!
  • Layer-2s are now more like quirky side dishes at a buffet-think faster transactions, privacy options, or apps that make your life easier (or just give you more ways to procrastinate).

So, here’s the scoop: our favorite Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin says it’s time to hit the reset button on how we think about Layer-2 networks. Apparently, the whole rollup-centric vision is about as relevant as dial-up internet.

In a riveting post on X this Tuesday (Yes, X, because Twitter was just too mainstream), Buterin explained that two key factors have flipped the script on Ethereum’s scaling game: Layer-2s are taking their sweet time getting decentralized and Ethereum itself has been hitting the gym! With fees staying reasonable and gas limits set to skyrocket in 2026, he declared that Layer-2s are no longer needed for “branding” purposes. Surprise!

There have recently been some discussions on the ongoing role of L2s in the Ethereum ecosystem, especially in the face of two facts:

L2s’ progress to stage 2 (and, secondarily, on interop) has been far slower and more difficult than originally expected
 L1 itself is scaling,…

– vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 3, 2026

Now, let’s talk about Layer-2 networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base-basically, the cool kids at the Ethereum party trying to speed up transactions. Vitalik likened Ethereum’s main network to a very crowded conference hall where everyone is awkwardly bumping into each other.

He explained that Layer-2s are like those overflow rooms at conferences where people can still attend without elbowing their way through the crowd. However, a lot of these Layer-2s seem to be stuck in traffic, struggling with decentralization. It’s like they’re driving with the emergency brake on-yikes!

Why some Layer-2s don’t fully scale Ethereum

Buterin took a jab at systems that link to Ethereum through multisig bridges, saying that’s like trying to run a marathon while wearing clown shoes. “If you create a 10,000 TPS EVM where its connection to L1 is mediated by a multisig bridge, then you are not scaling Ethereum,” he quipped. Some Layer-2s might even prefer to stay centralized to keep their customers happy. Who knew regulatory compliance could be a buzzkill?

“This may be doing the right thing for your customers. But it should be obvious that if you are doing this, then you are not ‘scaling Ethereum’ in the sense meant by the rollup-centric roadmap,” Buterin remarked. Basically, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem, am I right?

Rethinking the role of Layer-2s

Instead of treating Layer-2s as must-have “branded shards,” Buterin suggests we start viewing them as a buffet of network options. Each one offers its own perks-like faster confirmations, more privacy, or apps designed to distract you from your responsibilities. It’s all about transparency, folks!

This shift in perspective is especially relevant as Ethereum faces competition from other scaling solutions like Solana, which just plays a different game altogether. And let’s not forget the Ethereum Foundation’s shakeup in 2025. Researchers are also cooking up improvements for both the base layer and Layer-2s-because who doesn’t love an upgrade?

Even with a bunch of Layer-2s already rolled out, few have made it past the starter pack of decentralization. For example, Base, an L2 brought to life by Coinbase in 2023, just managed to crawl into Stage 1 by decentralizing governance and allowing permissionless fault proofs. Go, Base!

Buterin believes there are numerous hurdles keeping Layer-2s from advancing, and guess what? Those hurdles might not just be technical but also user or regulatory obstacles. So, in the grand scheme of things, we’re still waiting for many Layer-2s to level up.

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2026-02-03 23:21