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,”
Vitalik Buterin said.
To address this, he called for formalised “garbage collection” to remove obsolete code and unnecessary dependencies.
“Garbage collection can be piecemeal, or it can be large-scale,”
Vitalik Buterin said, outlining approaches to streamlining existing features.
He proposed three benchmarks for progress, including reducing total protocol code, limiting complex components, and increasing self-sufficient invariants.
Buterin cited Ethereum’s shift from Proof-of-Work to Proof-of-Stake as a successful example of removing inefficient legacy systems.
He suggested Ethereum may slow the rollout of experimental features to prioritise auditability and long-term stability.
“In the long term, I hope that the rate of change to Ethereum can be slower,”
Vitalik Buterin said, describing the network’s early years as an experimental phase.
Buterin said prioritising simplicity would help ensure Ethereum remains secure without reliance on a centralised group of experts.
At the time of reporting, Ethereum price was $3,283.55.