Vitalik Buterin Pushes For Higher Standards In Ethereum Rollups

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has called for stricter standards for Ethereum rollup projects, signalling a major shift in the network’s development.

On X (Twitter), Buterin stated his intentions to publicly acknowledge only Layer 2 (L2) solutions that reach “stage 1” by next year. His stance is aimed at improving security and decentralisation in the ecosystem.

In his post, Buterin emphasised that favouritism would not play a role in his support for L2 projects, saying, “It doesn’t matter if I invested, or if you’re my friend; stage 1 or bust.” This indicates a more stringent approach where only projects that meet specific criteria, regardless of personal connections or investments, will receive public recognition.

Vitalik Explains Stage 1 of L2 Solutions

Buterin defined “stage 1” as an L2 solution in which 75% of the security council can overturn the proof system. Importantly, 26% of the council must come from outside the rollup team. 

This standard intends to promote decentralisation and protect the network from potential breakdowns. He also stated that the multisigs (multi-signature wallets) with which he is involved have a proven track record, with no major failures in recent years.

Rollups are essential to Ethereum’s scaling strategy because they combine several processes into a single transaction on the main Ethereum chain.  

Buterin pointed out that a lot of rollups have been functioning more like “glorified multisigs,” devoid of genuine cryptographic trust. “Rollups are no longer just glorified multisigs; this period is about to end. We are entering the era of cryptographic trust,” he said, indicating that more reliable solutions will be needed.

Vitalik’s Vision for the Future

Buterin’s efforts to raise the bar for standards are part of a larger plan to make Layer 2 rollups for Ethereum more safe and decentralised. He expressed hope about the future of these technologies by mentioning that some ZK-rollup (Zero-Knowledge rollup) teams are on schedule to satisfy the “stage 1” standards by the end of the year.

Buterin also alluded to the ultimate transition to “stage 2,” in which rollups would be completely supported by code and interventions would only take place if the system experienced significant anomalies. This would indicate an even greater degree of network dependability and trust, lowering the requirement for human supervision.

Vitalik Addresses the Community

The Ethereum co-founder shared a blog screenshot, further outlining the need for the ecosystem to raise its standards. “By the end of the year, I think our standards should increase and we should only treat a project as a rollup if it has reached at least stage 1,” the blog stated.

This shift signals a tightening of criteria for rollup projects that claim to be on the path to decentralization but may not meet essential security and governance benchmarks.

The introduction of multiple prover implementations was also highlighted as a potential way forward. This would allow for more resilient systems by having different implementations of the same process, reducing the chance of failure.

Support for Ethereum Advocates

Buterin recently expressed his support for supporters of Ethereum who keep pushing for the virtual currency. Renowned Ethereum investor Vibin had lost fans and drawn criticism for his constant positivity about Ethereum. Buterin responded by saying, “ETH bullposting is good,” supporting the investor’s optimistic viewpoint despite the criticism. 

Buterin’s need for more stringent guidelines for rollup development highlights his dedication to the security and decentralisation of the Ethereum network as it develops.

In the upcoming years, his vision for the future may signal the end of loose standards and open the door for more reliable Layer 2 solutions.