Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin says it’s time to make Ethereum easier to understand and manage. In a blog post on May 3, he said the system has become too complicated and needs to be cleaned up.
He believes Ethereum should learn from Bitcoin, which is much simpler and easier for regular people to understand.
Ethereum Is Too Complicated, Vitalik Says
Vitalik thinks Ethereum has gotten too complex. That makes it:
- Harder for developers to build on
- More expensive to run
- Easier for bugs and problems to happen
- Less open to new people because only experts can work on it
He also said that too much power is now in the hands of a few highly skilled developers, which goes against Ethereum’s original goal of being open and decentralized.
He wants Ethereum to get back to basics — just like Bitcoin. He says even a high school student can learn how Bitcoin works. But Ethereum? Not so much.
Vitalik’s Plan: Make Ethereum Simpler in 3 Ways
Vitalik shared three areas where he thinks Ethereum could be made simpler over the next few years:
1. Make the way Ethereum agrees on data (called consensus) simpler
Ethereum currently uses a system that needs a huge number of people (validators) to approve transactions. It works, but it’s complex and expensive.
Vitalik wants to:
- Cut down on how many validators are needed
- Speed up the process of locking in data (called finality)
This could make Ethereum faster and cheaper to run.
2. Make Ethereum’s smart contract system easier to use
Ethereum runs apps using a system called the EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine). But it’s not easy to update or work with.
Vitalik suggests:
- Using a simpler tech tool called RISC-V, which is easier for developers
- Letting developers use either RISC-V or the current system
- Removing old, complicated features and replacing them with clearer ones that are easier to maintain
3. Stop using different tools for the same job
Right now, Ethereum uses different systems and formats for similar tasks. Vitalik says that’s confusing and unnecessary.
He wants:
- One simple system for each job
- Less duplication
- More coordination between different parts of the project
That way, Ethereum will be easier to understand and keep up-to-date.
Why This Matters
Vitalik believes simplicity should be just as important as decentralization. A simpler Ethereum would:
- Be safer
- Cost less to run
- Be more welcoming to new developers
This idea isn’t new. In the past, other complex systems — including Ethereum itself — have run into big problems. For example:
- In 2016, a smart contract bug led to the famous DAO hack, costing people over $60 million
- Other blockchains like Solana have faced outages because of bugs or too much traffic
Bitcoin, on the other hand, has worked almost perfectly since it started — mostly because it has kept things simple.
Vitalik’s message is clear: Ethereum doesn’t need more complexity — it needs less. By going back to a simpler, cleaner system, Ethereum can stay strong, secure, and open to everyone for the long haul.
