Ethereum EVM Evaluation: Strategic Shift from Rollup-Centric to Multi-Chain Ecosystem

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has recently re-evaluated Ethereum’s scalability framework, presenting an important shift in perspective. He believes that the previously core development approach centered around Layer 2 rollups needs adjustment because the decentralization progress of Layer 2 networks is far below expectations, while at the same time, Ethereum’s underlying layer has made significant advancements in scalability. This change in EVM assessment reflects the entire ecosystem’s re-examination of scalability solutions.

Why L2 Decentralization Becomes a Bottleneck

Vitalik points out that the slower decentralization of Layer 2 networks is a key limiting factor in current scalability strategies. Initially, the Ethereum community envisioned L2 as a “brand sharding” solution, using parallel chains to achieve scalability. However, over time, this assumption has shown its limitations. Vitalik emphasizes that if L2 networks cannot reach at least a “basic” level of decentralization, they risk becoming merely “first-layer networks for cross-chain connections,” making it difficult to realize true network value. This deeper EVM assessment has also prompted the industry to redefine decentralization standards.

Underlying Layer Scalability and New EVM Evaluation Progress

Notably, Ethereum’s underlying technology is steadily evolving. Vitalik introduces ongoing important technical work, especially the development of ZK-EVM (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machine) proofs for base layer scalability. These technological innovations indicate that the main chain of Ethereum now has the capacity to handle higher throughput, which significantly impacts the overall EVM evaluation framework. These underlying advancements have changed the dependency assessment on Layer 2 scalability solutions.

From “Brand Sharding” to a Multi-Chain Ecosystem

Buterin proposes a new development direction: building a series of chains with different connection methods to Ethereum, rather than sticking to the original single sharding plan. Each chain can offer differentiated value beyond simple scalability—this is a fundamental rethinking of Ethereum’s ecosystem architecture. Compared to straightforward rollup solutions, this diversified chain system design is more flexible.

Through this shift in EVM assessment, we see Ethereum moving from pursuing a single scalability solution to constructing a multi-ecosystem. This reflects the increasing maturity of the public chain ecosystem’s self-adjustment ability and marks an important upgrade in Ethereum’s strategic development.