Vitalik: New EVM chains should innovate and genuinely rely on Ethereum, avoiding blind copying

Odaily Planet Daily reports that Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin stated, “Currently, many new EVM chains are simply copying existing architectures or connecting to Ethereum via a one-week delayed optimistic bridge. This approach is similar to repeatedly copying Compound in governance, which, while ‘comfortable,’ exhausts innovation in the long run and leads the ecosystem into a dead end. If a new chain is not connected to Ethereum through an optimistic bridge (i.e., purely an alternative L1), the situation is even worse. The ecosystem truly needs projects that bring new features, such as privacy protection, application-specific efficiency, or ultra-low latency.

The ‘Ethereum connection’ should match the actual functionality. For example, prediction market applications can issue and settle markets and manage user accounts on L1, but transaction execution occurs within a Rollup or L2 system, with L1 verifying signatures and market states. Architectures with deep L1 integration should be prioritized over superficial bridging just for recognition. Another type of ‘application chain’ can verify algorithm execution on platforms like government, social media, or gaming, using technologies like STARK to ensure updates are authorized and executed according to pre-committed rules. While these chains are not fully Ethereum, they can provide algorithm transparency and minimize trust, enabling economic activities that were previously impossible.

New projects should achieve two things: first, truly bring innovation, not just copy existing EVM chains; second, ensure that their PR image matches actual functionality. The project’s claimed level of connection to Ethereum should accurately reflect its technical and ecological dependencies, ensuring ecosystem interoperability and long-term value.”