Vitalik Buterin says Ethereum scaling must move beyond L2s, embraces native rollups and L1 gains

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin warned that the original rollup-centric roadmap should be reconsidered because progress toward L2 decentralization has been slower than expected. He said Ethereum is already scaling directly on layer‑1 with low fees, cautioned that high‑throughput chains linked by multisig bridges do not constitute 'scaling Ethereum', and noted many L2s may intentionally remain centralized for regulatory or business reasons. Buterin urged treating L2s as a spectrum of trade-offs and focusing them on value beyond basic scaling (privacy, app-specific designs, ultra-fast confirms) while being transparent about guarantees.
AI Analysis
Buterin explicitly called for rethinking the rollup roadmap and said L2 decentralization progress has been slower than expected; he also stated Ethereum is scaling on layer‑1 with low fees and warned many L2s may choose to remain centralized. These are direct factual points from the summary and justify a mild positive sentiment for Ethereum (L1 scaling/low fees) and a low–moderate impact since the piece is strategic commentary rather than a discrete market event.