'Trustless Manifesto' Urges Ethereum Devs to Cut Control

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'Trustless Manifesto' Challenges Ethereum Builders to Rethink Control

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: November 13, 2025

Key Takeaways

The “Trustless Manifesto” argues that trustlessness is the core purpose of blockchain systems, not an optional feature added after development;
The authors warn that using hosted nodes or centralized tools erodes trust over time, as small convenience choices create control points and limit user freedom;
The document urges a shift in how progress is measured and states that success depends on reducing reliance on intermediaries.

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'Trustless Manifesto' Challenges Ethereum Builders to Rethink Control

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A new document called the "Trustless Manifesto" has been released by Vitalik Buterin and two Ethereum ETH $3,036.25 Foundation researchers, Yoav Weiss and Marissa Posner.

The authors explained that trustless design should not be viewed as a final addition but as the main purpose of these systems.

They warned that "Without it (trustlessness), everything else, efficiency, UX, scalability, is decoration on a fragile core".

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The document pointed out that projects begin to lose trustworthiness the moment they rely on a hosted node or a centralized tool to relay information.

These choices may seem minor, yet the authors believe they gradually create habits that lead to greater control over time. Each extra checkpoint reduces users' ability to act without permission. The document stated:

When complexity tempts us to centralize, we must remember: every line of convenience code can become a choke point.

Although the document does not target any specific team, its themes connect with discussions around certain Ethereum Layer-2 networks. Some of these networks have faced concerns that they prioritize scaling and rapid adoption while paying less attention to decentralization.

The authors suggested a different way to judge progress. Instead of celebrating higher transaction capacity, they said:

We measure success not by transactions per second, but by trust reduced per transaction.

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