Executive Summary
The Story So Far
Why This Matters
Who Thinks What?
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has recently declared “incorruptibility” as the blockchain’s “most important” property, a statement that has sparked debate among industry observers and Bitcoin proponents. Buterin’s assertion comes as he continues to champion scaling solutions like ZKSync, which aim to enhance the network’s capabilities.
Buterin’s Stance on Incorruptibility and ZKSync
Buterin has consistently highlighted ZKSync, a layer-2 scaling solution utilizing ZK-rollups, as crucial for Ethereum’s future. These rollups are designed to significantly reduce gas fees and accelerate transaction processing on the layer-1 network.
The ZKSync Atlas upgrade, launched in early October, reportedly allows for the processing of up to 30,000 transactions per second (TPS). Buterin had previously praised ZKsync for its “underrated and valuable work” within the Ethereum ecosystem.
Challenges to Ethereum’s Incorruptibility
Despite Buterin’s strong endorsement, the notion of Ethereum’s incorruptibility faces skepticism from various corners of the crypto community. Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3 and a vocal Bitcoin advocate, argues that Ethereum’s claim to incorruptibility was compromised with the creation of Ethereum Classic (ETC).
ETC represents the original blockchain that did not implement the controversial DAO hard fork in 2016, following a significant hack. Mow’s argument suggests that the decision to reverse transactions on the main chain undermined its immutability.
Broader Criticisms from Bitcoin Proponents and Analysts
Beyond the DAO hard fork, some Bitcoin proponents raise concerns about Ethereum’s initial “premine” and its lack of a fixed supply cap, contrasting it with Bitcoin’s finite supply. Other critics also point to Ethereum’s transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake as a departure from a more decentralized and secure consensus mechanism.
A commentator further noted that while “Ethereum L1 is practically incorruptible,” its long-term strategy’s heavy reliance on layer-2 solutions introduces potential vulnerabilities. The commentator stated, “L2s are not there yet. And since Ethereum’s long-term strategy relies on L2s, we cannot call Ethereum fully incorruptible until they mature.”
Key Takeaways
Vitalik Buterin champions “incorruptibility” as Ethereum’s core strength, emphasizing the role of scaling solutions like ZKSync in its development. However, this view is contested by critics who cite historical events, design choices, and the growing reliance on layer-2 solutions as challenges to Ethereum’s claim of being truly incorruptible.
