Vitalik Buterin is reassessing Ethereum’s long-held assumptions about Layer 2 scaling, suggesting that the framework that once positioned rollups as quasi native shards no longer fits the network’s trajectory.
His comments, shared publicly on X and amplified in developer discussions, reflect growing strain between rapid gains in Layer 1 capacity and the slower-than-expected advance of L2 decentralization.
Rethinking the Role of Layer 2 in Ethereum Scaling
Buterin’s commentary reflects a growing sentiment among protocol developers: L2s have not progressed to the fully decentralized “Stage 2” topology once envisioned, and interoperability has proven technically and socially thorny.
In his framing, the original definition of Ethereum scaling, block space backed with “the full faith and credit of Ethereum,” remains the ideal but has been hamstrung by slow adoption of cryptographic guarantees beyond Stage 1 and limited progress on interoperable execution environments.
Data from network activity charts and L2 trackers shows that major rollups such as Base, Optimism, and Arbitrum have achieved partial milestones but still trail in broader trustless execution and cross-chain messaging.
This has raised questions about how L2 networks should define their value proposition as Layer-1 gas costs decline and projected 2026 gas limit increases make Layer-1 itself more capable.
Native Rollups and L1 Enhancements Gain Traction
In parallel with this reassessment, Buterin and others have placed greater emphasis on native rollups and built-in protocol support for ZK-EVM proofs.
Recent reports indicate that he is now “more in favor of native rollups” than before, driven by the development and maturation of zero-knowledge proof technology and the potential to more tightly integrate it into the base layer.
Industry observers note that this shift away from strict Stage 2 rollups toward a more integrated rollup precompiles-and-composability approach is a testament to the Ethereum network’s dynamic approach to balancing decentralization, scalability, and security.
The question of whether this pivot will be enough to appease developers and users who were expecting a seamless Stage 2 rollups experience is a big topic of debate heading into 2026.
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