Ethereum's long-term development is entering a critical phase as Vitalik Buterin promotes the idea of "ossifiability"—that is, the network could "freeze" and still function normally, even if the core developers were no longer present.
This idea, first presented in a 2024 walkaway test, aims to elevate Ethereum beyond Vai as a platform for decentralized applications (dApps) to become a trustless and independent platform capable of operating for decades.
Ethereum's Ossifiability Roadmap Proposed by Vitalik Buterin: What Users Need to Know
According to Buterin, co-founder of the network , ossifiability requires Ethereum to reach seven key technical milestones, including:
- The ability to instantly resist quantum attacks.
- Scale up with ZK-EVM and PeerDAS authentication.
- State architecture for the long term,
- Complete account abstraction,
- Safe gas model,
- The economic mechanism of proof-of- Stake is robust, and
- The process of building a Block that defies censorship.
"We don't necessarily have to stop changing the protocol, but we need to bring Ethereum to a state where its value no longer depends on features that aren't yet available," Buterin Chia .
On this issue, the crypto industry leader emphasized that future innovations should prioritize client-side software optimization and parameter adjustments, rather than Hard Fork the protocol.
Although this roadmap is ambitious, many experts still warn of the practical challenges that remain. Equation X, a researcher on the ZK infrastructure, argues that adding zkEVM as a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum is only a "half-hearted solution".
Unlike ZK-native chain like StarkNet or Miden— which are designed for zero-knowledge validation—Ethereum had to adapt to its existing Solidity/EVM architecture.
"The patching solutions may have to be completely reworked as the technology proves more advanced," Equation X emphasizes , suggesting that ultimate ossifiability depends on the network's initial design choices.
Deployment risks and the big gamble associated with Ethereum's potential freeze.
The risks involved in implementation are not limited to technical aspects. Coordinating multiple objectives through parameter adjustments over decades will entail complexities in both technical and social spheres.
The centralization of Staking, the diversity of clients, and fluctuations on the validator side remain factors that could threaten Ethereum's core decentralization. This raises the question: Can the network truly operate without retail investors needing to trust any single party?
“Around 30–34 million ETH are currently being Staking… Liquid Staking protocols continue to grow. However, large Staking pools (e.g., Lido) still hold a significant stake — reports suggest Lido controls around 29–31% of the Staking ETH . This raises concerns about power being concentrated in the hands of a small group of large investors,” a recent Bitium blog post states .
The trade-off between rigidity and flexibility is also a key issue: if the Ethereum platform is too "frozen," it could limit future upgrades or innovations, forcing developers to choose between long-term stability and adaptability to change.
Despite remaining concerns, Buterin remained optimistic. In early January 2026, he reviewed Ethereum's achievements in 2025 , highlighting improvements in:
- Gas limit
- Number of blobs,
- The quality of the node software, and
- zkEVM performance.
But he also stressed that the network needs to do more than just optimize metrics or chase short-term trends.
“We are building decentralized applications. Applications that function without fraud, censorship, or third-party interference. Applications that pass the walkaway test… their stability endures regardless of company ups and downs, trends, or politics,” Buterin Chia .
The ossifiability roadmap is a huge gamble on Ethereum's long-term sustainability. If successful, Ethereum could become the "world computer" for a truly decentralized internet, supporting finance, governance, identity, and many other infrastructures for society for decades to come.
But if it fails, Ethereum could face inefficiencies, be forced to redesign, or be pressured to centralize, which would contradict the core goals the network aims for.
