Buterin Sparks Layer-2 Clash with Arbitrum, Optimism

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Vitalik Buterin Challenges Layer-2 Future, Arbitrum and Optimism Fire Back

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: February 04, 2026

Key Takeaways

Vitalik Buterin's recent comments about Layer-2 networks sparked backlash from Optimism and Arbitrum;
Karl Floersch from Optimism noted issues like long withdrawals, unready proofs, and weak cross-chain tools;
Steven Goldfeder from Arbitrum said scaling remains key and argued Ethereum cannot match rollup throughput.

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Vitalik Buterin Challenges Layer-2 Future, Arbitrum and Optimism Fire Back

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Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently said that the idea of using Layer-2 networks as Ethereum’s ETH $2,146.62 main scaling method “no longer makes sense".

He suggested that these networks should instead focus on becoming more specialized. His comments sparked a series of responses from key Layer-2 teams.

Karl Floersch, co-founder of the Optimism OP $0.2188 Foundation, said he supports the goal of building a flexible Layer-2 system capable of handling varying levels of decentralization.

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These include long withdrawal times, a lack of ready-to-use Stage 2 proofs, and poor support for cross-chain tools. Floersch wrote that Stage 2 systems “aren’t production-ready” and that the current proofs are not yet secure enough for large-scale use.

He also backed the idea of adding a built-in Ethereum feature that would make rollup verification simpler and more reliable.

Steven Goldfeder, co-founder of Offchain Labs, which develops Arbitrum ARB $0.1283 , said that scaling remains a goal for Layer-2 networks, even if their role has evolved.

Goldfeder explained that Arbitrum was not built just to serve Ethereum, it was created because Ethereum provides a secure and cost-effective base for scaling.

He also argued that Ethereum alone cannot handle the same transaction volume as rollups do. Goldfeder noted that during busy times, Arbitrum and Base together processed more than 1,000 transactions per second, while Ethereum’s main network handled far fewer.

Buterin proposed a new approach to creator tokens that links decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) to prediction markets. What did he say? Read the full story.