Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has criticized the proliferation of copy-paste Layer 2 networks and generic EVM chains, warning that they are stalling meaningful progress toward Ethereum’s long-term scaling goals.
In a February 5 post on X, Buterin argued that many L2 launches are driven by comfort and familiarity rather than technical necessity. He said repeatedly creating new EVM chains with “optimistic bridges” has become routine, adding little beyond surface-level Ethereum compatibility. He compared this pattern to past DAO governance habits, where forking projects like Compound became commonplace but stifled innovation.
Buterin was especially critical of designs that drop Ethereum bridges entirely, stating that such chains are even less useful. He emphasized that the Ethereum base layer is already scaling and will continue to add EVM block space through 2026, though certain workloads, such as AI applications, may require specialized environments. In his view, these demands should encourage genuinely new architectures rather than lightly modified replicas.
He also highlighted the need for projects to match their marketing with technical reality. Many L2s no longer meet Ethereum’s original scaling definition because they fail to inherit full security. Buterin suggested two valid models: app chains that deeply rely on Ethereum, such as prediction markets settling on the L1 while executing on a rollup, and “institutional L2s,” where cryptographic proofs are published on-chain for transparency. Projects that do not fit these models should be transparent about their connection to Ethereum rather than implying a closer link than actually exists.
