Haciyev Reşit 
Debates around the future of Layer-2 (L2) projects in the Ethereum ecosystem are once again taking center stage. Vitalik Buterin, in remarks that directly concern several altcoins within the Ethereum ecosystem, openly stated that L2 solutions need to reassess the role they originally set out to play. According to Buterin, the long-accepted approach to Ethereum scaling — the so-called “old paradigm” — has largely lost its validity at this point. As Ethereum’s main network begins scaling directly and technical priorities shift, the position and function of L2 projects within the ecosystem need to be fundamentally redefined.
Vitalik Buterin: The Original Vision of L2s Is No Longer Valid
Vitalik Buterin reminded that L2 solutions were initially positioned as a way to scale Ethereum. However, he emphasized that this approach no longer carries the same meaning today. According to Buterin, there are two main reasons for this: first, the technical progress of many L2 projects has fallen short of expectations; second, Ethereum’s Layer-1 (L1) itself has begun scaling directly, which undermines the old model.
According to the Ethereum founder, scaling should fundamentally mean “producing large block space secured by Ethereum’s full security.” In this context, Buterin stated that a high-throughput chain connected to Ethereum only via a multisig bridge cannot truly be considered as scaling Ethereum. Such structures may be related to the Ethereum ecosystem, but without full security and integrity integration with L1, they do not meet the definition of genuine scaling.
Buterin noted that L2s were initially designed almost like “branded shards” of Ethereum. However, current developments on the Ethereum mainnet — including:
- Increased gas limits
- Persistently low transaction fees
- Major capacity increases planned by 2026
have weakened the role of L2s as a mandatory scaling solution. For this reason, he argued that describing some L2s as structures that “scale Ethereum” may no longer be accurate.
Regulation Factor and Security Debate
Buterin also pointed out that some L2 projects may avoid fully adopting Ethereum’s security model not only for technical reasons but also due to regulatory considerations. He noted that such projects may want to offer users greater control, which can be a legitimate choice in its own context. However, in such cases, these structures cannot be defined as “scaling solutions” in the sense envisioned by Ethereum’s rollup-centric roadmap. According to Buterin, this is not a problem, as Ethereum has already begun scaling directly at the L1 level.
In Buterin’s view, L2s should no longer be seen as official extensions of Ethereum, but rather as part of a spectrum with varying degrees of connection to Ethereum. Under this framework:
- Some L2s may be strongly integrated with Ethereum’s security
- Others may adopt more independent designs
This diversity could allow users to choose between different security and performance trade-offs.
Emphasis on Native Rollup Precompiles
Buterin also stressed that Ethereum should place greater emphasis on the “native rollup precompile” approach. This model envisions ZK-EVM proofs being verified directly within the Ethereum protocol itself. Such a structure would:
- Automatically update alongside Ethereum
- Be fixable via hard forks in case of bugs
- Eliminate the need for a security council, offering a safer design
He added that this approach could also unlock more advanced technical capabilities, such as synchronous composability.
Which Altcoins Are Affected by These Statements?
Buterin’s message directly concerns L2 altcoins within the Ethereum ecosystem. Notable projects include:
- Polygon
- Arbitrum
- StarkNet
- Optimism
- Mantle
In addition, networks without a native token, such as Base, are also at the center of this discussion. Vitalik Buterin’s remarks make it clear that the role of L2s in the Ethereum ecosystem needs to be fundamentally redefined. As Ethereum moves toward direct L1 scaling, L2 altcoins will need to stand out not merely with “scaling” claims, but with differentiated use cases and security models. This shift could directly shape the technical and economic strategies of L2 projects in the period ahead.
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