TL;DR
- Vitalik Buterin proposed that Ethereum’s base layer stabilize, locking core functions to reduce errors and strengthen security.
- Innovation and development should shift to the surrounding ecosystem: layer 2 rollups, wallets, privacy tools, and user-facing applications.
- Buterin warned that elliptic curve cryptography could be compromised by quantum computing before 2028.
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, suggested at Devconnect in Buenos Aires that the blockchain stop changing at its base layer and adopt a gradual stabilization process.
According to Buterin, locking the protocol’s core functions reduces the risk of errors and reinforces the ecosystem’s security. In his words, “more stabilization over time is good for Ethereum,” allowing fewer unexpected surprises for users and developers.
What Buterin’s Proposal Implies
Buterin’s approach does not mean halting research and innovation, but rather redirecting it toward the surrounding ecosystem. Layer 2 rollups, wallets, privacy tools, and user-facing applications should be the focus for developers, while the base layer should remain stable. Currently, layer 2 handles the majority of Ethereum’s transaction volume, freeing up space on layer 1 for settlement and security.
Buterin emphasized that ‘ossification’ (stabilization) is not absolute: different layers can evolve at different rates. The consensus layer can lock down changes while the EVM remains flexible, or vice versa, maintaining a balance between stability and adaptability. This design aims to protect the network’s core without compromising creativity in the outer layers, preventing critical protocol decisions from being exposed to faults or implementation errors.
Ethereum and Bitcoin Could Be Threatened by Quantum Computing
Buterin also acknowledged that the shift toward stability comes with trade-offs. The massive arrival of memecoins and institutional players has pushed the ecosystem toward a conservative approach, where many focus on copying successful projects rather than exploring new ideas. This has limited creativity, a phenomenon he considers necessary to counter through ongoing research and innovation.
Finally, Buterin issued a warning about a medium-term technological risk: elliptic curve cryptography, which underpins the security of Ethereum and Bitcoin, could be compromised by quantum computing before 2028. This gives the ecosystem roughly four years to migrate to quantum-resistant solutions, ensuring that changes occur at the system’s edges rather than in its core
