Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin issued a stark New Year message calling for the network to reject trend-chasing and focus on becoming a true "world computer" through applications that pass the walkaway test—functioning without centralized dependencies or developer oversight.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin kicked off 2026 with a stark warning about the network's future direction. According to Vitalik Buterin on X, the blockchain achieved significant technical milestones in 2025 but now faces a critical test of its founding principles.
The message arrives as Ethereum attempts to define its identity beyond short-term narratives that dominate crypto cycles. Buterin's statement signals a potential turning point for the network's development priorities.
Welcome to 2026! Milady is back. Ethereum did a lot in 2025: gas limits increased, blob count increased, node software quality improved, zkEVMs blasted through their performance milestones, and with zkEVMs and PeerDAS ethereum made its largest step toward being a fundamentally new and more powerful kind of blockchain.
The declaration emphasizes infrastructure improvements while rejecting trend-chasing strategies that defined much of 2025's market activity.
Technical Wins Meet Mission Drift Warning
Buterin acknowledged substantial progress across Ethereum's infrastructure stack throughout 2025. Gas limits expanded to accommodate higher transaction volumes, while blob counts increased to support more efficient data availability for Layer 2 networks.
Node software quality improvements reduced operational complexity for validators and infrastructure providers. Zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines achieved performance breakthroughs that exceeded projected timelines, positioning zkEVMs as viable scaling solutions.
The combination of zkEVM advances and PeerDAS implementation represented what Buterin described as the network's most significant architectural evolution. These technologies move Ethereum toward a fundamentally different blockchain model compared to traditional proof-of-work or basic proof-of-stake systems.
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Despite celebrating these achievements, Buterin issued a pointed challenge to the ecosystem. He argued that Ethereum risks losing sight of its core mission by pursuing fleeting market narratives instead of building durable infrastructure.
But we have a challenge: Ethereum needs to do more to meet its own stated goals. Not the quest of "winning the next meta" regardless of whether it's tokenized dollars or political memecoins, not arbitrarily convincing people to help us fill up blockspace to make ETH ultrasound again.
The statement directly critiques strategies focused on economic signaling or riding temporary market trends. Buterin contrasted these approaches with Ethereum's founding vision of creating censorship-resistant infrastructure that operates without centralized control.
Decentralized Applications Must Pass Walkaway Test
Buterin outlined a specific framework for evaluating whether applications meet Ethereum's decentralization standards. The "walkaway test" requires that applications continue functioning even if original developers abandon the project entirely.
True decentralized applications should operate without fraud, censorship, or third-party interference according to the framework. Users should not notice disruptions even if major infrastructure providers experience outages or security compromises.
Applications that run without fraud, censorship or third-party interference. Applications that pass the walkaway test: they keep running even if the original developers disappear. Applications where if you're a user, you don't even notice if Cloudflare goes down.
The standard sets a high bar that few current applications achieve. Most decentralized applications still rely on centralized APIs, hosting services, or infrastructure that creates single points of failure.
Buterin compared this vision to products from previous generations that required no ongoing subscriptions or dependencies. Wallets, kitchen appliances, books, and cars once functioned independently without relying on external services or corporate oversight.
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Modern technology increasingly operates through subscription models that create permanent dependencies on centralized providers. Buterin framed Ethereum as a rebellion against this transformation that erodes user autonomy and control.
Today, all of the above are by default becoming subscription services, consigning you to permanent dependence on some centralized overlord. Ethereum is the rebellion against this.
Dual Requirements for World Computer Status
Buterin specified two non-negotiable requirements for Ethereum to fulfill its world computer vision. The network must achieve usability at global scale while maintaining genuine decentralization across both blockchain and application layers.
The blockchain layer encompasses node software, network protocols, and client implementations. Improvements must reduce centralization pressures while enhancing performance and reliability for validators and users.
The application layer presents greater challenges as many decentralized applications currently depend on centralized services for critical functions. Frontend hosting, API access, and data indexing frequently rely on traditional web infrastructure that contradicts decentralization principles.
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Achieving both requirements simultaneously demands coordinated efforts across the entire ecosystem. Buterin emphasized that powerful tools already exist to advance these goals but require deliberate application and continued development.
The roadmap extends beyond finance into identity systems, governance mechanisms, and other civilizational infrastructure. Ethereum aims to provide neutral, censorship-resistant foundations for services currently controlled by centralized entities.
To build the world computer that serves as a central infrastructure piece of a more free and open internet. We're building decentralized applications.
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Buterin concluded with optimism about 2026's potential despite the challenges ahead. He expressed confidence that Ethereum possesses the necessary technical capabilities to achieve its ambitious vision through sustained focus on core principles rather than market trends.
Fortunately, we have powerful tools on our side - but we need to apply them, and we will. Wishing everyone an exciting 2026.
The statement positions 2026 as a defining year for whether Ethereum can translate technical achievements into applications that genuinely operate without centralized dependencies. Success requires the ecosystem to prioritize long-term infrastructure over short-term narratives that generate temporary excitement but fail to advance the network's foundational mission.
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Vitalik's 2026 Call: Ethereum Must Be World Computer
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin demands the network prioritize decentralization over trends, introducing the "walkaway test" as 2026's defining challenge.