Vitalik Buterin Discusses Ethereum's Evolution in 2026 — The Full Launch Towards a "Global Computer"

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, celebrating the New Year of 2026, revealed the network’s progress and future plans through multiple social media posts. His statements are not merely technical progress reports but serve as an important message questioning the very value of Ethereum itself. Buterin’s vision of the future has attracted the attention of many industry stakeholders.

“Blockchain Trilemma” From Theory to Reality

For years, the blockchain industry has grappled with a challenge—simultaneously achieving decentralization, security, and scalability. Buterin’s major announcement is that this difficult problem has evolved from a “theoretical consideration” to a “working protocol.”

Specifically, by combining data availability sampling (PeerDAS) and zero-knowledge proof-integrated Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM), a pathway has been established to ensure network scalability without compromising decentralization. Buterin states that the project is now at a stage where only “final security enhancements” remain, conveying confidence from the development team.

Technological Breakthroughs Demonstrated in 2025

According to Buterin, 2025 was “the year of implementation and verification” for Ethereum. Multiple improvements were made concurrently, including raising gas limits, expanding block capacity, and enhancing node software quality. Notably, zkEVM achieved practical performance standards, and the mainnet deployment of PeerDAS fundamentally strengthened the network’s processing capacity.

These technological advances suggest that Ethereum is shedding its identity as merely a platform for crypto asset trading and is transforming into a true global computer.

2026 Roadmap: Balancing Scalability and Decentralization

This year, Ethereum plans to reach several key milestones. First, opening zkEVM-based node operation to the public, enabling more developers and participants to contribute to network maintenance. Simultaneously, the gas limit will be significantly increased to further improve transaction processing capacity.

Additionally, resolving fragmentation among layer 2 solutions and creating a unified Ethereum ecosystem for users is a priority. The technical roadmap aims for 100-bit security by May and 128-bit security within the year, indicating a rapid pursuit of robustness.

“Resilience”: Buterin’s Emphasis on Ethereum’s Core Value

Buterin emphasizes that Ethereum’s fundamental value lies not in convenience or efficiency but in “resilience”—its ability to recover and withstand failures. This includes the system’s capacity to continue functioning even if the development team disappears or infrastructure faces external attacks. He calls this the “Walkaway Test,” and considers its achievement as Ethereum’s ultimate goal.

His assertion that resistance to censorship and safeguarding individual sovereignty are the core reasons for Ethereum’s existence reaffirms the blockchain’s original ideals. Building an unshakable foundation, unaffected by short-term market trends, is central to his vision for 2030.

Building the Foundation for a Free Internet—Buterin’s 2030 Vision

Vitalik Buterin envisions Ethereum evolving beyond a short-term speculative asset into a fundamental infrastructure for a free and open internet society. This involves creating a system that is not controlled by corporations or political pressures, where users are treated as “equal participants” rather than “subordinates” to corporations. This is the true form of the “world computer.”

He states that this foundation is now nearing completion, and from 2026 onward, the focus will shift to deploying it at a large operational scale. Ethereum is entering a phase from technical refinement to societal implementation, marking the beginning of its next stage.