Copy-Paste L2s Hurt Ethereum’s Progress

Vitalik Buterin warns that copy-paste Layer 2s and standard EVM chains are disrupting Ethereum’s long-term scaling vision.

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin said that many new Layer 2 (L2) networks repeat shallow design patterns, and warned that conventional EVM chains have optimistic bridges that slow down meaningful progress.

His comments add to the public debate about whether today’s L2 ecosystem is still compatible with Ethereum’s original scaling goals.

No more “Copypasta” EVM Chains

In a February 5 post on X, Buterin it was argued that convenience and familiarity, not technical necessity, drive most L2 implementations, resulting in copy-paste designs that add little to Ethereum’s high-level compatibility.

The developer made a comparison between infrastructure options and management practices, writing that creating yet another EVM chain and adding a “hopeful bridge to Ethereum with a one-week delay” has become the norm in the same way as to break Compound and DAO governance.

“That’s something we’ve done for a very long time, because we’re free, and it’s exhausted our imagination and put us at the bottom,” Buterin wrote.

He was even more specific about the alternative designs that bring down the bridges of Ethereum completely.

“If you make an EVM chain without a bridge that hopefully goes to Ethereum, that’s even worse,” he said, adding, “We don’t need more copypasta EVM chains, and we don’t even need more L1s.”

Buterin stressed that Ethereum’s base layer is already balancing and will continue to add EVM block space in 2026, although there is no limit. He noted that some workloads, such as AI-related applications, may require low latency or special processing environments. In his view, those needs should push developers to build new buildings rather than just slightly modified replicas.

Matching “Vibes” to Real Ethereum Connection

Buterin’s critique builds on comments he made earlier, suggesting that many L2s no longer meet the original definition of Ethereum scaling because they fail to fully inherit its security.

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He argued that Ethereum no longer needs L2s to act as brand shards, especially considering that mainnet fees are falling and gas limits are rising.

In her latest book, the 32-year-old woman emphasized that the public’s position should reflect the reality of technology. “Vibes need to match something,” he wrote, criticizing projects that sell themselves tightly linked to Ethereum while treating that link as an afterthought.

The founder of the blockchain presented two models that he sees as reasonable. One application chain that relies heavily on Ethereum, such as prediction markets that settles and manages accounts at L1 while handling transactions at wrap. Another is what he calls “institutional L2s,” where systems like government registries publish cryptographic evidence on-chain for transparency, even if it’s not trustworthy or credibly neutral.

“If you’re a startup, it’s valid and good to call yourself an Ethereum application,” Buterin said. “If you are the second thing, you are not Ethereum… so you should just say those things directly.”