Vitalik Panics: BlackRock’s ETH Takeover Could Turn Ethereum into a Corporate Joke 😂

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Key Highlights

  • Vitalik Buterin: “Oh no, BlackRock owns ETH now. Surprise, surprise-it’s not slightly centralized anymore. It’s very corporate!”
  • He’s worried about block times getting so fast, regular people will need a PhD and a supercomputer to run a node. Priorities, Vitalik! 🤷♀️
  • Buterin’s new mission: Save Ethereum from Wall Street. Cue the inspirational montage… with crypto memes.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, in a dramatic flair worthy of a reality TV meltdown, warned that Ethereum’s soul is at risk if BlackRock keeps hoarding ETH like it’s the last buffet line at a corporate retreat. “Existential threats? Yes. NFTs of my face? No. Not yet,” he sighed.

This pearl-clutching occurred at Devconnect in Buenos Aires, where he joined Roger Dingledine-a Tor guy who probably thinks “centralization” is a four-letter word.

At Devconnect (Buenos Aires), Vitalik Buterin warned that if BlackRock keeps buying ETH, Ethereum might become less “decentralized” and more “decentralized… by a single entity.” 🤡 – Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) November 20, 2025

Why Vitalik is Concerned (Spoiler: It’s the Plot Twist We Didn’t See Coming)

Dingledine asked Buterin, “How do you avoid getting eaten by Wall Street?” Buterin replied, “By doing the one thing that won’t work: hoping institutions don’t act like institutions.” Classic.

He argued that post-ETF Ethereum is now a “Wall Street pet project,” and developers might flee if the network becomes a playground for suits in crypto-adjacent blazers.

Institutional Control: The New “Influencer” Problem

Let’s get real: nine ETFs hold $18B in ETH. Corporate treasuries? Another $18B. Institutions could soon own 10% of Ethereum. It’s like if your best friend starts dating your ex-and now they’re telling you how to furnish your apartment.

Buterin: “Sure, ETFs made Ethereum ‘legit,’ but now we’re just a compliance checklist for CFOs.” 🙄

Threat 1: Community Exodus (Or, “I’ll Just Move to Solana”)

If Ethereum becomes a Wall Street side project, Buterin warns, developers will ghost it faster than a bad Zoom call. “Decentralization? What’s that? Oh, right-it’s not profitable.”

He’s basically saying, “Don’t let Ethereum turn into a LinkedIn post about ‘disruption.’”

Threat 2: Block Times So Fast, You’ll Need a Nap to Keep Up

Buterin also warned about 150ms block times-because nothing says “decentralized” like making nodes run only in New York skyscrapers. “Next, they’ll charge you rent to mine ETH,” he joked (probably).

The Bigger Picture: Crypto’s “Me Too” Moment

Buterin’s speech followed debates about MEV, Lido’s staking dominance, and ETFs acting like they own the place. He concluded, “Ethereum must protect what Wall Street can’t: a global, permissionless, censorship-resistant protocol. And maybe a sense of humor.”

“Keep decentralizing, but ignore the suits. They’ll never understand our vision.” 🚀

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2025-11-20 12:00