Ethereum in 2025: Focused on the Mission to Become the Foundation of the Open Internet

The new year has brought a clear direction for Ethereum. In his New Year address, network creator Vitalik Buterin outlined a comprehensive vision for how the platform should evolve in the future. This is not just a simple technical roadmap—it is a declaration of what Ethereum’s true purpose will be.

The True Mission of Ethereum Is Not About Hype

Amid the industry’s ongoing pursuit of the “next big narrative,” Ethereum remains steadfast in its core goal. Whether tokenized dollars or political meme coins emerge, Ethereum does not follow trends—instead, it focuses on building a world computer that will serve as the core infrastructure of a free and open internet.

The difference is significant. Ethereum is not striving to fill block space or restore ETH’s deflationary nature through artificial demand. The real work is deeper: building an ecosystem where decentralized applications can run without any censorship, fraud, or interference from third parties.

Ethereum’s Design for People

Applications built on Ethereum have a crucial feature—the so-called “exit test.” If the original developer disappears or departs, the system continues to operate. Users will not notice any change even if Cloudflare or any infrastructure provider goes down. Ethereum’s resilience goes beyond the rise and fall of businesses, ideological shifts, and even changes in government parties.

This also includes protecting each user’s privacy. The combination of transparency and confidentiality forms the foundation of a new financial system—and in the future, this will extend further into identity verification, governance mechanisms, and other critical infrastructure needed by modern society.

2025 Milestones: Proof of Progress

The past year has brought significant achievements. Gas limits increased, the number of Blob grew, and the quality of node software improved. zkEVM reached a new milestone in performance. Alongside the ongoing development of PeerDAS, Ethereum took the biggest step toward a new generation of blockchain technology.

Two Major Challenges Ahead

To realize this grand vision, Ethereum must address two critical conditions: first, scalability—requiring higher throughput and efficiency without compromising user experience. Second, true decentralization—the network must remain resilient and independent from any point of failure.

These changes must happen simultaneously at two levels: at the base layer of the blockchain itself, including the software running and accessing the network; and at the application layer, where developers create tools and platforms used daily by people. While good tools are now available, the real challenge is to use them fully and strategically.

Ethereum is committed to a long-term vision, and 2025 will be a critical stage in this journey.