Vitalik Urges Ethereum to ‘Lock In’ Stability — Calls Ossification “Healthy”

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin declared at the Devconnect conference in Buenos Aires that the blockchain’s base layer should ossify, locking down core features to prevent ecosystem bugs.

Speaking to over 500 attendees, Buterin stated that “more and more ossification over time is good for Ethereum,” marking a significant shift for a protocol historically built on flexibility.

Day 2 of Devconnect showed how Ethereum is shipping real-world value.

Builders across finance, identity, public goods, AI, and more showed how onchain tech is being used today.

Watch the recap. pic.twitter.com/YaD5nuXwO8

— Devconnect ARG – the first Ethereum World’s Fair (@EFDevcon) November 18, 2025

The announcement represents a departure from Ethereum’s longstanding emphasis on adaptability. For years, the network’s ability to evolve supported developers building diverse applications and use cases.

Buterin now prioritizes stability over adaptability. For a network securing hundreds of billions in value, he argues that a locked-down base layer reduces risk.

Ethereum Layers at Different Speeds

Buterin explained that Ethereum can ossify different layers at varying paces. The consensus layer could freeze while the Ethereum Virtual Machine remains flexible, or vice-versa.

Buterin said It’s good to maintain some flexibility, clarifying that the goal redirects innovation away from the base layer into the surrounding ecosystem.

This strategy focuses development on layer 2 rollups, wallets, privacy tools, and user-facing applications rather than fundamental protocol changes.

Layer 2 solutions already handle most of Ethereum’s transaction volume. Increased activity there creates more space on layer 1 for settlement and security functions.

It’s healthy to move attention out of L1 and into the surrounding ecosystem

Buterin told the packed auditorium.

However, he acknowledged tradeoffs. Ethereum’s early “spirit of exploration” has diminished as memecoins proliferated and institutional players entered the space.

There is too much of the space that has gone in the direction of ‘if you want to succeed, be a fast follower and copy what’s already working

he spoke

Quantum Threat Timeline

Buterin issued a stark warning about quantum computing. Elliptic curve cryptography, which secures both Ethereum and Bitcoin, faces an existential threat.

Elliptic curves are going to die

He stated

referencing predictions that quantum computers could break Ethereum’s security model before the 2028 US presidential election.

This timeline gives Ethereum approximately four years to migrate to quantum-resistant cryptography, assuming quantum computing advances as projected.

The challenge requires coordination across the entire ecosystem. Under Buterin’s vision, such changes would occur at the edges rather than the core.

Meanwhile, Ethereum continues implementing its roadmap. The network’s recent Pectra upgrade on May 7, 2025, demonstrated the balance between necessary evolution and increasing stability.

🚨 JUST IN: ETHEREUM BEGINS DEPLOYMENT OF THE PECTRA UPGRADE

— Coinwaft (@coinwaft) May 7, 2025

Originally scheduled for March, Pectra faced delays due to testnet complications on Holesky and Sepolia. A successful bug-free run on the Hoodi testnet in March restored developer confidence.

The upgrade builds on the Dencun upgrade from March 2024, which introduced proto-danksharding. Pectra goes deeper by improving validator flexibility and preparing for future upgrades including Verkle Trees.