'We don't friggin need more copypasta EVM chains': Vitalik Buterin criticizes new Layer 1s, narrows the case for Layer 2s

Ethereum ETH co-founder Vitalik Buterin has called on developers to move away from launching generic EVM-based chains that add little beyond replication of Ethereum’s execution environment. In a Farcaster post on Thursday, he argued that the proliferation of redundant “copypasta EVM chains” has put the ecosystem in a “dead end.”

"We don't friggin need more copypasta EVM chains, and we definitely don't need even more Layer 1s. Layer 1 is scaling and is going to bring lots of EVM blockspace," Buterin wrote in the post, urging developers to "build something that brings something new to the table."

The shift in stance follows years of industry focus on "branded shards," where Layer 2 networks were primarily viewed as vehicles to expand transaction throughput. Earlier this week, Buterin reevaluated a "rollup-centric" roadmap he once championed, stating the original vision "no longer makes sense" as Layer 2s decentralized "far slower" than the Ethereum base layer itself advanced.

A new spectrum for development

In place of repetitive infrastructure, Buterin urged builders to pursue specialized architectures that offer distinct technical value, citing privacy-focused protocols, app-specific efficiency, and ultra-low latency architectures as necessary innovations.

Regarding the integration of these systems, Buterin noted that "vibes need to match substance," stating that the public image of a project should reflect its actual technical connection to the Layer 1. 

He expressed support for two types of  "app chains." The first one is where markets are resolved, and accounts are held on the Layer 1, but execution and signature verification occur on a Layer 2 system. He contrasted this with architectures where the Layer 1 connection is treated as an "afterthought" intended merely to satisfy decentralization benchmarks.

Buterin also identified another category of development, which he termed "institutional Layer 2s." This model involves entities like government registries or social media platforms committing verifiable, algorithmic proof of their operations to a blockchain. Buterin noted such a system "is obviously not Ethereum, not credibly neutral, and not trustless," but could provide valuable "algorithmic transparency" and enable new economic activity.

In his framework, the first type can validly be called an Ethereum application. The second, while not Ethereum itself, pursues a similar vision of transparency and could be synergistic with the ecosystem, he said.

Despite this critique, Buterin has not discarded the Layer 2 concept, instead suggesting that it be viewed as a "full spectrum" of options. Earlier this week, he maintained that Layer 2s should still aim for Stage 1 decentralization "at the minimum" to avoid being viewed as "vampiric" Layer 1s with a bridge. 

He indicated there remains a specific role for Layer 2s that offer "truly extreme levels of scaling" for high-demand use cases, such as AI, which require lower latency and higher capacity than even a significantly scaled Layer 1 can provide.