Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is calling for a cultural and architectural shift in the blockchain’s future, as the network enters what he refers to as a “rebuild era.” Amid rising technical complexity and growing criticism of centralization, Buterin laid out a roadmap to simplify Ethereum’s design and expand its developer base ultimately aiming to position Ethereum as a true rival to Bitcoin in both adoption and resilience.
Simplifying the Ethereum Blockchain
In a blog post published on May 3, Buterin acknowledged that Ethereum’s current technical framework, especially the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), has become too complex for many developers to easily contribute. He argued that this complexity discourages new talent, increases maintenance costs, and may hinder innovation.
To counter this, Buterin proposes a simplification process that brings Ethereum closer in design philosophy to Bitcoin. He pointed out that Bitcoin’s protocol is straightforward enough for a high school student to grasp and for hobbyists to build upon. Ethereum, he argued, should strive to offer the same level of accessibility.
His plan includes:
- Setting a maximum line-of-code target for Ethereum’s long-term development
- Encouraging modularity and pruning redundant components
- Prioritizing performance, ease of onboarding, and long-term sustainability
Decentralization Through Simplification
Buterin addressed criticism that Ethereum has drifted away from its decentralized roots, especially following the transition to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) after the Merge. Contrary to the belief that PoS favors centralization, Buterin asserts that simplification itself is a powerful tool for decentralization.
He argues that a simpler Ethereum makes it easier for more participants to run full nodes, audit code, and contribute to consensus, reinforcing the network’s long-term resilience.
“The processes of simplification and decentralization are upstream of the chain of resilience,” Buterin wrote, noting that these benefits may be hard to quantify but are vital for Ethereum’s future.
Ethereum’s Position Against Bitcoin
Despite Buterin’s ambitious vision, Ethereum faces challenges in the market. The ETH/BTC ratio recently touched a five-year low of 0.01766, last seen in January 2020. However, the ratio has since recovered slightly to 0.02237, signaling a potential bottom and rebound.
Buterin believes that within five years, Ethereum can evolve into a more lightweight, secure, and developer-friendly chain that competes with Bitcoin not just on features but also on philosophy.
Price Forecast and Technical Outlook
After breaking out of consolidation on May 7, Ethereum has shown renewed bullish momentum. ETH is now 11% away from its next resistance level at $2,550, with a further resistance at $2,745.
Key indicators:
- RSI: Trending upward at 80, indicating strong bullish momentum
- MACD: Flashes green bars above the neutral line, supporting the rally thesis
In the event of a pullback, ETH could find support around $1,850, the lower boundary of a fair value gap.
ETF Flows and Real-World Adoption
Despite recording $16.11 million in outflows from U.S. spot Ethereum ETFs on May 8, Ethereum’s position in real-world asset tokenization remains dominant.
- Ethereum currently commands 74% of the market share for tokenized U.S. Treasuries
- BlackRock’s BUIDL, built on Ethereum, now manages over $2.5 billion
- In total, Ethereum underpins $6.2 billion in tokenized treasury assets
This underscores Ethereum’s continued dominance in institutional-grade blockchain infrastructure even as competing Layer 1s like Solana show strength in DEX metrics.
Final Thoughts
Ethereum’s path forward, according to Buterin, lies in rebuilding its culture and codebase from within. His blueprint for simplification, decentralization, and accessibility is aimed at fortifying Ethereum’s future against both technical bottlenecks and ideological drift.
With continued support from institutional applications, renewed community debate, and strong fundamentals, Ethereum’s “rebuild era” could define its next chapter not just as a Layer 1 giant, but as a truly user-first and developer-friendly blockchain.
