Vitalik: New EVM Chains Should Be Innovative and Faithful to Ethereum, Avoid Blindly Copying

On February 5, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin noted in a post that many new EVM-compatible chains either copy existing architecture or connect to Ethereum via an optimistic bridge with a one-week delay. This approach is like blindly copying Compound’s governance model—comfortable in the short run, but it stifles innovation long-term, pushing the ecosystem into a dead end. If a new chain has no optimistic bridge to Ethereum (i.e., a standalone L1 alternative), the situation is even worse. What the ecosystem actually needs are projects that bring new features: privacy protection, app-specific efficiency, or ultra-low latency, for example. An “Ethereum connection” needs to align with real functionality. Take prediction markets: apps can issue and settle markets on L1, manage user accounts, but execute transactions on a rollup or L2-like system—with L1 validating signatures and market state. Architectures that deeply integrate with L1 should be prioritized over just formal bridges for credibility. Another type of “app chain” can verify algorithm execution for governance, social media, or gaming platforms. Using technologies like STARK, it ensures updates are authorized and run per pre-committed rules—boosting algorithm transparency, cutting down on trust assumptions, and enabling activities that weren’t economically viable before. New projects need to hit two key marks: First, they must deliver genuine innovation—not just replicate existing EVM chains. Second, their public narrative has to match their actual functionality. A project’s stated level of Ethereum integration should accurately reflect its tech and ecosystem dependencies. This ensures interoperability across the ecosystem and long-term value.