Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said the network’s long-term survival depends on significantly simplifying its protocol and reducing code complexity.
In a January 18 post, Buterin warned that excessive technical density is undermining Ethereum’s ability to be independently verified.
He cautioned that growing reliance on advanced cryptography and bloated code could erode Ethereum’s core principle of self-sovereignty.
Buterin said increasing complexity risks pushing Ethereum towards a technocratic system rather than a decentralised public good.
He highlighted the importance of the “walkaway test,” which assesses whether the network could function securely if its founders and core researchers left.
Buterin warned Ethereum may currently fail this test because its systems are too complex for new teams to manage without expert oversight.
He argued that developers’ tendency to add features for short-term gains creates long-term technical debt.
“One of my fears with Ethereum protocol development is that we can be too eager to add new features to meet highly specific needs,”