Vitalik Buterin defines the ‘walkaway test’ as Ethereum’s ability to function safely and effectively even without major updates from its core developers.
Vitalik Buterin Sets Ethereum on a Path Towards Self-Sufficiency
In a recent statement, Vitalik Buterin explains that Ethereum must be able to sustain itself. The idea is not to halt the evolution of the protocol but to reach a point where it could, if needed, ossify without endangering the applications that rely on it.
Ethereum, according to him, must become an infrastructure akin to a fundamental tool. Once deployed, it should remain reliable for decades, without constantly depending on centralized human decisions. It is a long-term, almost philosophical vision, but it has very concrete implications for future technical choices.
Quantum Resistance as a Top Priority
Among the non-negotiable endeavors, resistance to quantum computing comes first. For Vitalik, waiting for the threat to become imminent would be a strategic mistake. Cryptographic systems must be designed now to withstand computers capable of breaking current patterns.
The risk is existential. A cryptographic breakthrough would force hurried changes, with potentially catastrophic consequences for funds, security, and trust in the network. Ethereum must aim for cryptographic robustness valid over several decades.
Rising to Thousands of Transactions Per Second
Scalability is also a cornerstone of the ‘walkaway test’. Ethereum must be able to process thousands of transactions per second without compromising decentralization or making running a node inaccessible.
Vitalik clearly identifies the way forward: validation through ZK EVM and data sampling with PeerDAS. The challenge is twofold. Increase throughput while controlling the state size and maintaining acceptable synchronization times for validators.
Economic Security and Resistance to Centralization
Beyond performance, Vitalik emphasizes subtler but equally critical aspects. The fee model must be resistant to denial-of-service attacks. The proof of stake economy and block construction must also remain robust against centralization forces.
Censorship, whether economic or political, is identified as a long-term structural risk. Ethereum must preserve its neutrality, even under pressure, and prevent a few dominant actors from capturing key parts of the system.
A More Incremental Evolution
The final state envisioned by Vitalik is one where major protocol revolutions become rare in Ethereum. Improvements would mainly come from client performance, parameter adjustments, and progressive optimizations.
His goal is pragmatic: tick off at least one of these major boxes each year. No abrupt rupture, but a steady march towards a protocol solid enough for its creators to one day fade away without weakening it.
With this ‘walkaway test,’ Vitalik Buterin poses a central question to the entire ecosystem: Is Ethereum meant to remain a perpetual work in progress, or to become an infrastructure as reliable and discreet as electricity or the Internet? For him, the answer must now lean clearly towards the latter option.
