Vitalik Buterin and the Importance of Incorruptibility
Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has recently emphasized the significance of “incorruptibility” as a crucial attribute of blockchain technology. His advocacy for the ZKSync initiative has gained momentum on social media, highlighting its role in enhancing the Ethereum layer-1 network’s performance.
ZKSync and Its Impact on Ethereum
Utilizing ZK-rollups, ZKSync effectively minimizes transaction fees and accelerates processing speeds. The recent launch of the ZKSync Atlas upgrade enables the network to handle up to 30,000 transactions per second (TPS).
Criticism and Alternative Perspectives
Previously, Buterin noted that ZKSync has been making substantial and often overlooked contributions to the blockchain ecosystem. However, not everyone shares his enthusiasm. Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3 and an outspoken Bitcoin supporter, contends that Ethereum’s original chain, Ethereum Classic (ETC), represents a missed opportunity for the community, as it did not adopt the DAO hard fork post-2016 hack.
Critics from the Bitcoin community have raised concerns about Ethereum’s initial token distribution, referred to as “premine”, and the absence of a fixed supply limit. Others have expressed dissatisfaction regarding Ethereum’s shift from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake consensus mechanisms.
Concerns About Layer-2 Solutions
Moreover, some analysts caution that Ethereum’s current reliance on layer-2 solutions could expose it to vulnerabilities. One observer remarked,
“While Ethereum’s layer-1 is nearly incorruptible, the layer-2 solutions have not yet achieved the same level of security. As Ethereum’s future strategy leans heavily on these layer-2s, its claim to complete incorruptibility remains in question until these systems mature.”
