Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin criticized the current state of Layer-2 (L2) chains, accusing them of simply copying each other instead of innovating. He argues that many L2s are redundant, offering little beyond cheaper fees, especially as Ethereum's base layer improves. Buterin believes the industry needs more originality.

Buterin's comments reflect a growing debate within the Ethereum community. As Ethereum fees remain low, the primary justification for L2s, cheaper transactions, is weakening. He emphasized the need for L2s to offer unique value propositions beyond just being "Ethereum but cheaper." This challenges the long-standing narrative.

Buterin advocates for two compelling paths forward: app-specific systems tightly integrated with Ethereum, and institutional chains that publish cryptographic proofs to Ethereum. These systems, while not Ethereum itself, can still advance similar goals. The discussion highlights the evolving Ethereum ecosystem's scaling solutions.

This critique has already sparked reactions from Arbitrum and Polygon. The debate underscores the pressure on L2s to differentiate themselves and provide clear value. The future of the Ethereum ecosystem hinges on whether L2s can move beyond simple copies and offer genuine innovation to the blockchain space.