Vitalik Buterin Urges Priority Shift: Sub-One-Hour Withdrawals Trump Stage 2 L2 Decentralization

Ethereum co-founder drops a bombshell—scaling debates just got a liquidity twist.

Layer-2 solutions have spent years chasing decentralization milestones. Now, Buterin flips the script: 'Users shouldn’t need a PhD in patience to access their funds.'

The new battle cry? Sub-60-minute withdrawals—or bust. (Wall Street bankers smirk, recalling the days when 'instant' meant three business days.)

This isn’t just tech—it’s a revolt against crypto’s hidden tax: your time.

Ethereum should move from optimistic to validity proofs

According to Buterin, optimistic proofs were historically favored because zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, also known as validity proofs, were too immature and expensive. But that reality is quickly changing. ZK proof technology has improved significantly over time, enabling Ethereum-compatible ZK rollups that can verify L2 execution with greater speed and security.

The ethereum co-founder referenced resources like ethproofs.org, which now track advancements in ZK proof development.

Buterin laid out a potential path to transition toward faster withdrawals using a hybrid “2-of-3” proof system that combines ZK, optimistic (OP), and trusted execution environment (TEE) components. The idea is that a proof system WOULD only need agreement from two of the three approaches to validate a withdrawal.

Buterin also noted that one of the final bottlenecks to achieving fast settlement times will be the gas cost of submitting large ZK proofs on-chain.

Ethereum’s push for 12-second settlement and cross-L2 fluidity

Buterin’s long-term vision goes beyond one-hour withdrawals. He believes that with further improvements in proof aggregation, combining many ZK rollup proofs into one, Ethereum could enable L1 settlement of multiple rollups every slot (approximately every 12 seconds).

This would allow for near-instant native asset movement across L2s via the L1, effectively eliminating the need for centralized bridge solutions or long exit windows.

In such a scenario, Ethereum L1 wouldn’t just be a security anchor; it would also serve as a high-speed settlement hub across the L2 ecosystem. This architecture would further cement Ethereum’s role as the economic center of its own universe, where most tokens, protocols, and financial activity remain tied to the L1 while scaling occurs on top.

Reducing L2 withdrawal times is not just a UX improvement; it’s a foundational shift in Ethereum’s architecture. As proof systems improve and aggregation becomes standard, the Ethereum L1 could become a high-speed financial LAYER capable of real-time settlement across a growing network of trustless L2s.

Cryptopolitan Academy: Want to grow your money in 2025? Learn how to do it with DeFi in our upcoming webclass. Save Your Spot