Vitalik Buterin Outlines Ethereum’s Balanced Scaling Strategy in Tako Q&A Session

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently shared his vision for the blockchain’s future development during a thoughtful Q&A session on Tako. His remarks focused on creating a sustainable scaling approach that preserves Ethereum’s core decentralization principles while enhancing its transaction capacity.

Buterin articulated the need for what he terms a “hybrid L1 + L2” strategy, rejecting the notion that Ethereum should rely exclusively on Layer 2 solutions for all scaling needs. Instead, he advocated for measured improvements to Ethereum’s base layer alongside continued development of Layer 2 networks.

The Ethereum creator explained that the base layer requires specific enhancements, including carefully increased gas limits and implementation of advanced verification technologies like Verkle trees. These upgrades would boost transaction throughput without compromising the network’s foundational decentralization—a balance Buterin views as essential to Ethereum’s long-term success.

“Cross-L2 interactions still require L1,” Buterin noted, highlighting a key limitation of pure Layer 2 scaling. “If an L2 fails, users must be able to migrate to another L2, meaning some use cases cannot avoid L1.” This observation underscores the continued importance of a robust base layer as an essential coordination and settlement mechanism.

Regarding Layer 2 sequencers—entities that batch and process transactions before submitting them to the main Ethereum chain—Buterin acknowledged their efficiency benefits while expressing caution about centralization risks. He emphasized the importance of maintaining alternative transaction pathways, stating: “Maintaining the ability for regular users to issue censorship resistant transactions is of course critical.”

Buterin pointed to Ethereum’s distributed development model as evidence of its genuine decentralization. Unlike projects controlled by a single entity, Ethereum’s evolution is guided by numerous independent teams—a structural feature that enhances its resilience against capture or control.

The conversation also touched on the broader implications of blockchain decentralization. As these networks mature, they may increasingly function as autonomous digital infrastructure resistant to corporate or governmental interference. However, Buterin suggested that achieving this vision requires ongoing innovation in governance mechanisms, security protocols, and scaling solutions to prevent power concentration.

By balancing moderate base layer improvements with Layer 2 expansion, Buterin’s approach aims to create an Ethereum ecosystem that remains accessible, efficient, and true to cryptocurrency’s foundational principles of openness and user sovereignty.