The crypto community is once again witnessing a familiar scenario: a single tweet turns into more than just a discussion – it becomes an ideological conflict. Vitalik Buterin stated on X that Layer-2 solutions no longer bring value to Ethereum because Layer-1 is now capable of scaling properly on its own. In other words: he no longer needs L2.
This didn’t sound like a casual technical remark – it felt like a blow to an entire industry. Over the past few years, Ethereum’s growth has been driven precisely through L2: users moved there, fees followed, DeFi activity migrated, and billions in liquidity flowed into these networks. Ethereum effectively evolved into a structure where L1 provides security, while real life happens on L2.
The reaction was immediate. Founders of Arbitrum, Starknet, Base, and Optimism publicly responded to Vitalik, making it clear that he was, to put it mildly, wrong. Their main argument is simple: Ethereum doesn’t scale “instead of” L2 – it scales “through” L2. Layer-1 became lighter precisely because Layer-2 networks relieved the pressure.
But this debate is not only about technology – it’s also about who captures the value. Today, fees and revenue increasingly stay on the side of L2 platforms, while Ethereum retains security but doesn’t always receive direct economic upside. That makes this conflict feel less architectural and more financial.
Against this backdrop, Vitalik decided to go further. He is currently running a 4-day TWAP challenge, during which he plans to sell $7.3 million worth of ETH. TWAP is a method of selling gradually to avoid crashing the price with a single large order. Still, the symbolism is hard to ignore: first a statement questioning the usefulness of L2, then a public dispute with their founders, and alongside it – an ETH sale worth millions.
As a result, this situation becomes a serious signal for the entire ecosystem. Layer-2 projects were born as an answer to Ethereum’s weaknesses, but if L1 truly becomes fast and cheap enough, the role of L2 will inevitably be reconsidered.
And the market is watching closely: when Vitalik questions Layer-2, it’s no longer just a Twitter debate – it’s a question about the future of Ethereum’s entire architecture.
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