Larry David-Style: Vitalik Disses Copycat L2s

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Vitalik Buterin, the guy who basically co-invented the whole “blockchain drama” thing, is all over Layer 2 projects again. The crypto crowd is buzzing, like a coffee shop at 8 a.m. with everyone ordering the same thing and pretending it’s new.

According to him, most L2s are recycling the same tired formula and adding nothing fresh to Ethereum. It’s the kind of thing you notice when you walk into a party and realize you’ve seen the same punchline five times already.

He compared the standard L2 approach to “forking Compound,” calling it “something we’ve done far too much for far too long, because we got comfortable, and which has sapped our imagination and put us in a dead end.” Yes, it’s the classic forking-for-security routine-without the novelty and with a lot more sighs.

“We don’t friggin need more copypasta EVM chains, and we definitely don’t need even more L1s,” he added.

Why the Original L2 Vision No Longer Works

Buterin didn’t pull this out of thin air. In an earlier post, he pointed to two problems: progress toward Stage 2 security has been slower than expected, and Ethereum L1 is scaling on its own, with gas limit increases planned for 2026. It’s like the plan was “scale later,” and now the punchline is catching up to the setup.

“The original vision of L2s and their role in Ethereum no longer makes sense, and we need a new path,” he said.

With L1 set to handle more blockspace directly, the main reason most L2s exist-scaling-starts to look a little less relevant. It’s a rerun nobody asked for, and yet here we are.

What Vitalik Wants Ethereum L2s to Focus On

Instead of more generic EVM chains, Buterin wants L2s building around privacy, app-specific efficiency, ultra-low latency, and emerging sectors like AI, social platforms, and digital identity. These aren’t the kinds of upgrades you can fake with a fresh coat of paint; even a scaled L1 won’t cover them all.

From Ethereum’s side, he also pushed for a native rollup precompile, a protocol-level tool that would verify ZK-EVM proofs and give real L2s secure, trustless connections to Ethereum without relying on security councils. It’s not a magic wand, but it’s closer to one than a lot of what’s been done lately.

“Vibes Should Match Substance”

Buterin also had a clear message on L2 branding. If your project barely depends on Ethereum for security, stop calling yourself an Ethereum L2. It’s not about vibes alone; it’s about the actual bridge to the security you’re riding on.

“The degree of connection to Ethereum in your public image should reflect the degree of connection to Ethereum that your thing has in reality,” he said.

With Ethereum L1 scaling up and Buterin reshaping what counts as a legitimate L2, projects still running the 2021 playbook might find themselves with a very particular existential crisis: what are you even doing here?

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2026-02-05 14:16