Ethereum Shifts Focus to L1 Sovereignty as Vitalik Critiques Rollup Roadmap

In a significant strategic pivot on February 3, 2026, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin issued a stark re-evaluation of the network’s scaling trajectory. Declaring that the original “rollup-centric” roadmap “no longer makes sense,” Buterin signaled a move away from viewing Layer-2 (L2) networks as the primary “shards” of Ethereum.

Instead, he argued that the ecosystem must return to its decentralization roots, prioritizing Layer-1 (L1) performance and user self-sovereignty.

This “reality check” comes as Ethereum trades near $3,040, roughly 40% below its 2025 all-time high, while the network handles record-breaking volume of over 2.6 million daily transactions.

The L2 “Reality Check” and L1 Performance

Buterin’s critique centers on the observation that the L2 ecosystem has failed to keep pace with Ethereum’s core decentralization standards. He noted that while networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base have absorbed 95% of total throughput, their progress toward “Stage 2” (full decentralization) has been “far slower and more difficult” than projected.

• Stalled Decentralization: Most L2s remain at “Stage 0,” relying on centralized “multisig bridges” and administrative councils that Buterin argues disqualify them from being true extensions of Ethereum’s security.

• L1 Scaling Success: Contrary to early-decade assumptions, Ethereum’s base layer has scaled effectively. Average fees have remained below $0.31 even during high-usage periods, largely due to the 2025 Fusaka upgrade and the implementation of PeerDAS.

• Market Dynamics: As L2s extract transaction revenue while L1 fees remain low, the economic symbiosis is being questioned. L1 is now a “low-margin, high-volume settlement layer” capable of handling increased capacity without depending on L2 “crutches.”

The 2026 “Rebellion” Roadmap

Buterin has designated 2026 as the year of the “Rebellion”, a concerted effort to reclaim “computing self-sovereignty” from centralized tech providers. This roadmap focuses on upgrades that allow Ethereum to function as a “civilizational infrastructure” resistant to censorship and corporate dominance.

These tools are designed to eliminate the “trust-me” infrastructure, such as reliance on centralized RPC providers like Infura, moving toward a default state where user software verifies the chain directly.

Scenarios & Risk Management

The shift in strategy introduces new variables for the 2026 market structure as Ethereum balances L1 expansion with its existing L2 ecosystem.

•  Success depends on the Glamsterdam (mid-2026) and Hegota (late-2026) hard forks delivering the 5x gas limit increase without compromising node stability. If L1 can maintain sub-$0.10 fees while reclaiming “rebellion” status, it may recapture the “monetary premium” lost to faster, monolithic competitors.

• The primary risk is technical debt and “L2 fragmentation.” If L2s refuse to decentralize and instead act as “vampiric” L1s with bridges, the ecosystem may continue to see value leak away from ETH holders. Furthermore, if the ZK-EVM implementation faces delays, the dream of smartphone-based nodes could be pushed to 2027.

Conclusion: Professional Takeaway

The market structure for Ethereum has shifted from “scaling via rollups” to “scaling via sovereign L1.” Buterin’s manifesto marks the end of the era where L2s were given a pass on centralization for the sake of adoption.

For 2026, the focus is on confirmation of decentralization: L2s must provide unique value, such as privacy or ultra-low latency, rather than just cheap gas, while L1 reclaims its role as the primary execution environment for those demanding total censorship resistance.

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