Ethereum (ETH) made significant technical progress in 2025, yet co-founder Vitalik Buterin warns the network still has critical work ahead.
Despite improvements to gas limits, node software, and zkEVM performance, Ethereum must continue enhancing usability and decentralization across both the blockchain and application layers to achieve its vision as a resilient, censorship-resistant “world computer.”
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In a New Year’s post on X, Buterin urged the Ethereum community to return to its founding principles, framing the platform as a safeguard against the growing centralization in technology.
Decentralization Under the “Walkaway Test”
Central to his message is the “walkaway test”, a benchmark for decentralization. Projects that pass it should operate independently, without ongoing intervention from developers.
While Ethereum has made notable strides in 2025, including gas optimizations and zkEVM upgrades, Buterin argued that technical improvements alone are not enough; user experience and true decentralization must advance in parallel.
According to him, Ethereum must continue advancing to fulfill its stated mission: building a “world computer” to serve as central infrastructure for a freer, open internet.
Scaling Usability Without Compromising Decentralization
Ethereum co-founder stressed that for Ethereum to reach its full potential, it must be both easy to use at scale and genuinely decentralized.
That means improving every layer of the system: from the blockchain itself, including the software that runs and interacts with it, to the applications built on top.
While progress is already underway, he stressed that more work is needed. “Fortunately, we have powerful tools on our side – but we need to apply them, and we will,” Vitalik Buterin added, expressing confidence that the network can meet its goals.
Why This Matters
Achieving both usability and decentralization is crucial for Ethereum to serve as a resilient, censorship-resistant infrastructure capable of supporting a free and open internet.
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People Also Ask:
Ethereum usability improvements include faster transaction processing, lower gas fees, and user-friendly wallets and dApps. Better usability helps more people interact with the blockchain without technical barriers.
The “walkaway test” is a benchmark for true decentralization: projects should continue running even if the original developers leave or stop supporting them. Passing this test ensures dApps are self-sustaining and resilient.
zkEVMs (zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines) improve scalability and transaction efficiency while maintaining Ethereum’s security and decentralization. They allow more complex applications to run faster and at lower cost.
Ethereum aims to be a “world computer” by providing a global, decentralized platform for finance, governance, identity, and other civilizational infrastructure, accessible to anyone without relying on centralized services.
A truly decentralized, usable Ethereum protects privacy, resists censorship, reduces reliance on third-party services, and allows users to interact with financial, governance, and identity applications safely and efficiently.
