Vitalik Buterin unveils a blueprint to restore Ethereum's autonomy and reliability

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, emphasized that starting this year, Ethereum will reach a turning point to regain the core values it has lost over the past few years. In an interview with Cointelegraph, he expressed his determination not to continue compromising on autonomy and trustworthiness under the guise of mainstream adoption, and suggested that the Ethereum ecosystem will be reorganized into a more robust decentralized structure.

Centralization Issues in Ethereum Over the Past 10 Years

Vitalik Buterin pointed out specific real-world problems facing Ethereum. He mentioned that the barriers to node operation are continuously increasing, making it difficult for individual users to participate, which acts as a hindrance to true network decentralization.

The issue of DApp data leaks has also reached a serious level. Wallet applications are increasingly relying on data from third-party service providers instead of local RPC data collection methods, leading to compromised transparency of users’ transaction information. Even more concerning is the centralization of block creation authority. A structure has formed where a small number of block producers can censor transactions, which undermines Ethereum’s fundamental principles of censorship resistance and decentralized value transfer.

Ethereum Rebuilding Strategy in 2026, Vitalik Buterin’s Approach

Vitalik Buterin outlined a concrete direction for Ethereum to restore autonomy and trustworthiness within this year. This signifies a return to the network’s fundamental values, not just performance improvements. He reaffirmed his principle of not sacrificing core values to increase adoption rates or market share, emphasizing a priority on building long-term trust.

Expected future improvements include easing node operation barriers, strengthening DApp data security, and achieving true decentralization in block validation. These declarations from Vitalik Buterin are direct responses to long-standing concerns about centralization within the Ethereum community.

What Rebuilding Ethereum’s Trustworthiness Means

Returning to its core principles could also impact the entire blockchain ecosystem. Vitalik Buterin’s public statement is interpreted as a shift away from the previous focus on technology and philosophy, which prioritized technical development, toward a renewed emphasis on the original purpose of blockchain and user sovereignty. If Ethereum’s efforts to redefine decentralization succeed, they will set a new standard across the industry.