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Vitalik says Ethereum must keep working even if its builders disappear and he has a plan to get there.
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A new “walkaway test” could redefine how Ethereum upgrades, scales, and secures itself long-term.
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From quantum resistance to ossification, Vitalik wants Ethereum built to last decades.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin wants the network to survive without him. In a new statement, he introduced what he calls the “walkaway test.”
The idea is simple: Ethereum should keep running even if all its developers vanished tomorrow.
“Ethereum itself must pass the walkaway test,” Buterin said. “Ethereum must get to a place where we can ossify if we want to.”
He compared the difference to owning a hammer versus relying on a service. Once you buy a hammer, it’s yours. It works whether the company exists or not. Buterin wants Ethereum to work the same way.
Vitalik’s 7-Box Checklist
Buterin laid out seven upgrades the network needs to hit over the next few years:
- Full quantum-resistance
- Scalability through ZK-EVM and PeerDAS
- State architecture that lasts decades
- Full account abstraction
- A gas schedule with no DoS vulnerabilities
- A proof-of-stake model that stays decentralized
- Censorship-resistant block building
He was direct about not delaying quantum security for short-term gains.
“Being able to say ‘Ethereum’s protocol, as it stands today, is cryptographically safe for a hundred years’ is something we should strive to get to as soon as possible,” he said.
Also Read: Vitalik Buterin Admits Bitcoin Maxis Were “Far Ahead” on Crypto’s Biggest Threat
What This Means for ETH Holders
Buterin sees ETH as long-term trustless collateral. He pointed to use cases like ETH-backed stablecoins that don’t rely on heavy governance.
The goal is to reach a point where future upgrades happen through parameter changes, not constant protocol overhauls. Validators would vote on scaling adjustments the same way they vote on gas limits today.
Community Reacts
The crypto community backed the vision.
One user called it “spot on,” adding that prioritizing long-term robustness over perpetual tweaks ensures it’s a true foundation for decentralized apps.
Fully agree. A blockchain’s real value is revealed when it still works even if teams vanish or incentives change. Protocols should act like durable infrastructure, not fragile platforms. If users can’t walk away and retain functionality, trust minimization is incomplete.
Best.— The Algorand Guy (@TheAlgorandGuy) January 12, 2026
When Will This Happen?
Buterin expects at least one box checked per year, ideally more. He wants the heavy lifting done now so Ethereum can run stable for decades.
“Do the right thing once, based on knowledge of what is truly the right thing,” he said.
He signed off with a line the community knows well: “Ethereum goes hard. This is the gwei.”
