Vitalik Buterin’s Vision: Ethereum Must Evolve Into Civilization Infrastructure Like Linux
Move over, speculative asset—Ethereum's founder is aiming for the bedrock of modern society.
The Infrastructure Gambit
Vitalik Buterin isn't just tinkering with smart contracts anymore. He's pitching a future where Ethereum operates like Linux: invisible, essential, and underpinning everything. Think less 'digital gold' and more 'digital plumbing'—the foundational layer that new economies get built on top of.
Beyond the Price Charts
This reframes the entire conversation. Success isn't measured by hitting a new ATH against Bitcoin, but by developer adoption, transaction finality, and how many systems simply can't function without it. The goal shifts from market dominance to utility dominance.
The Hard Part: Getting There
The path from a bustling crypto-city to global infrastructure is littered with technical debt. Scaling solutions need to work flawlessly. Security must be fortress-like. The network has to become so reliable that people forget it's even there—just like the Linux kernel humming away in servers worldwide.
A Cynical Hedge
Of course, transforming into civilization's backbone would do wonders for that pesky 'store of value' narrative the finance bros are so fond of. Nothing says 'moon' like becoming indispensable.
Buterin's challenge is clear: build something so useful that its price becomes a secondary footnote. The bet is that in the long run, real utility creates the most resilient value of all.
Ethereum’s Vision: A Linux-Style Foundation for Civilization
Buterin argued that Ethereum should model itself after the architectural philosophy of Linux and BitTorrent, which have delivered value to billions of individuals and organizations without compromising on open-source principles or decentralization.
He emphasized that Ethereum’s LAYER 1 must function as a neutral foundation for finance and digital infrastructure, enabling individuals and institutions to operate autonomously while reducing reliance on intermediaries.
According to Buterin, Ethereum should ultimately serve as “civilization infrastructure”, which is a system capable of continuing to run applications without fraud, censorship, or third-party control, even if its original developers were to disappear.
Key Technical Milestones Achieved in 2025
Buterin also highlighted several major technical milestones achieved in 2025, including:
- Higher gas limits
- Increased blob capacity
- Significant improvements in node software quality
He pointed in particular to the introduction ofand, which he said allow Ethereum to achieve decentralization, consensus security, and high bandwidth simultaneously.
Describing this as the resolution of the long-standing “blockchain trilemma,” Buterin called these developments the culmination of more than a decade of research and engineering.
Pushing for True Decentralization and Usability
Despite progress, Buterin expressed concern that many applications built on decentralized protocols still depend heavily on centralized services, a trend he warned could undermine Ethereum’s Core principles.
He stressed that for Ethereum to succeed as global infrastructure, true decentralization must exist at both the blockchain layer and the application layer.
One proposed solution is, which WOULD prevent transaction blocks from being formed in a single location and reduce the risk of centralized interference.
Buterin framed Ethereum’s evolution as a rebellion against today’s centralized, subscription-based internet, with the goal of underpinning essential digital services such as finance and identity.
Like Linux, which achieves flexibility through developer-driven modifications, Ethereum leverages Layer 2 scaling to offer diverse implementation options, which is one of the ecosystem’s key strengths.
Still, Buterin acknowledged that challenges remain. Building a truly open “world computer” as the backbone of a free and open internet will require continued effort and innovation.
The post Vitalik Buterin Says Ethereum Should Become Civilization Infrastructure Like Linux appeared first on icobench.com.
