Vitalik Buterin Voices Concerns Over Ethereum Community’s Direction
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently expressed his discontent regarding certain segments of the Ethereum community. He described it as “bad” that the ecosystem has become overly accommodating towards gambling-related applications, often likened to “casinos.” During an engaging ask-me-anything (AMA) session on the platform Tako, Buterin was posed a question about his feelings towards the Ethereum Foundation, the broader crypto industry, and the community itself. His candid response was a resounding “of course,” particularly emphasizing his disappointment over the community’s apparent reluctance to distance itself from blockchain gambling ventures.
Buterin’s remarks seemed to subtly target Ethereum’s competitor, Solana, which has seen a significant influx of memecoin activities and gambling applications over the past year. This shift raises concerns about Ethereum’s competitive edge. In recent months, members of the Ethereum community have voiced their fears that unless critical issues are addressed, the network risks losing its standing in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape. Notably, Solana has managed to attract a greater number of new developers and has successfully recruited top talent from Ethereum, further intensifying these worries.
Buterin warned that if the community continues down this path of what he termed a “moral reversal,” he might reconsider his involvement in the Ethereum ecosystem. However, he also shared a reflective insight: “I found an interesting point: on the internet, many people will say those things, but when I chat with the community in person, everyone’s values are the same as before. So, I feel like I have a responsibility to this community and can’t abandon them,” Buterin added, highlighting the contrast between online discourse and real-world interactions within the community.
