Ethereum Achieves 17x Scaling with Layer 2, but Challenges Persist, Says Buterin

Layer 2 protocols have played a critical role in scaling the Ethereum network. The blockchain’s co-founder Vitalik Buterin noted that Layer 2s in 2025 represents a significant evolution from their experimental beginnings in 2019, having achieved certain decentralization milestones, secured billions of dollars in value, and scaled Ethereum’s transaction capacity by 17-fold, all while simultaneously lowering fees.

However, Buterin stated that challenges remain, particularly around scaling and heterogeneity.

Blob Space and Interoperability Challenges

In his latest blog post, Buterin pointed out that Ethereum’s current blob space – a resource for storing and processing data on the blockchain – barely meets the demands of today’s Layer 2s and their use cases. As such, this limitation could hinder the platform’s ability to accommodate future growth.

Additionally, the heterogeneity of Layer 2s creates challenges when it comes to interoperability, composability, and user experience.

While Ethereum’s initial vision for scaling involved a shard-based system of homogenous blockchains, Buterin noted that Layer 2s have instead evolved into a fragmented ecosystem of chains created by different actors, each with different standards and infrastructure requirements.

To address these challenges, the Ethereum co-founder outlined several key steps. On the Layer 1 side, Ethereum must accelerate scaling blobs and expand the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and gas limits to handle activities such as proofs, large-scale DeFi, deposits, withdrawals, and mass exit scenarios.

On the Layer 2 front, he stressed the need for improved security, ensuring guarantees such as censorship resistance, light client verifiability, and the absence of trusted parties. Interoperability across Layer 2s and wallets must also be prioritized to enable easy interactions across chains through standardized addresses, message-passing protocols, bridges, and efficient cross-chain payments.

For users, Ethereum should feel like a unified ecosystem rather than a collection of disparate chains, Buterin added.

Strengthening ETH as a Triple-Point Asset

Buterin also stated that Ethereum’s future as a strong triple-point asset – functioning as a store of value, medium of exchange, and unit of account – requires a “multi-pronged” strategy to maximize the value of ETH.

The first step is to cement ETH as the primary asset across the combined Layer 1 and Layer 2 Ethereum economy. This includes prioritizing ETH, the main collateral for decentralized applications and financial ecosystems.

Next comes incentivizing Layer 2s to allocate a portion of their fees toward the broader Ethereum ecosystem, which could generate sustainable funding. This may involve burning part of the fees, staking them, or channeling proceeds into public goods for the Ethereum network.

Third, while rollups offer opportunities for Layer 1 to capture value through MEV, it’s important to maintain flexibility, recognizing that not all rollups can adopt this model due to different application requirements. Finally, Ethereum could explore raising the blob count as a potential revenue stream.