#以太坊L2如何发展？ Vitalik personally overturns L2: Ethereum scaling completely shifts tracks? Native scaling is the ultimate breakthrough path

On February 3, 2026, Ethereum founder Vitalik posted on social media, directly overturning the original plan for L2 (Layer 2 networks), stating that this vision is now "not feasible." As soon as the news broke, the crypto community was instantly abuzz—previously, everyone saw L2 as Ethereum’s "savior" for solving congestion and reducing fees, but now the founder has poured cold water on it.

1 Background and Confusion
Many newcomers are inevitably confused: Can L2 really help Ethereum fill its gaps? Are rumors true that L2 is "siphoning" blood from Ethereum? Can Ethereum itself solve the scaling problem? Today, let’s explain these questions in plain language.

2 The Original Vision for L2
First, a quick overview: Ethereum’s initial expectation for L2 was simple: build L2 as a "high-speed auxiliary road" to the Ethereum mainnet (L1), relying on the security of the mainnet to help offload transaction pressure, making transfers faster, fees lower, and transactions tamper-proof and irreversible. By this standard, those so-called "highways" that only connect to the mainnet via simple bridges don’t really qualify as true Ethereum L2s; at best, they are independent networks piggybacking on mainnet traffic. Unfortunately, this perfect plan never materialized.

3 Two Major Reasons Vitalik Overturned the Vision
1. The decentralization progress of L2 is painfully slow, and it has yet to truly take off.
Most current L2s are still in early stages, with core upgrades controlled by a few; only a handful of top L2s are attempting to achieve full decentralization through "collective decision-making," while some projects, to comply with regulations, simply refuse to decentralize. As a result, L2s cannot fully enjoy the security guarantees of the Ethereum mainnet.
2. The Ethereum mainnet itself is advancing rapidly!
The previously criticized high transaction fees are now 90% cheaper than their peak in 2021. In 2026, new technologies will be introduced, boosting the mainnet’s transaction capacity tenfold, enabling it to handle large volumes of transactions on its own without relying on L2s.

4 Practical Problems with L2
In addition, current L2s are plagued with numerous issues. For example, transaction ordering rights are concentrated in the hands of a few institutions; if these institutions encounter problems, the entire L2 could halt, or even have transactions arbitrarily restricted. Moreover, funds between different L2s cannot flow smoothly—transferring funds from A L2 to B L2 is slow, expensive, and poses security risks. As of February 2026, major L2s are heavily fragmented, leading to large price swings and difficulties in arbitrage. Even worse, bridges for cross-L2 transfers have been hacked, with total losses exceeding $2 billion. Additionally, transferring funds back to the mainnet can take from 1 to 7 days, and beginners face complex setups, which is especially discouraging.

5 The Role and Limitations of L2
In summary, L2 can help Ethereum solve some problems but cannot fundamentally fix them. Reliable L2s can rely on the mainnet to confirm transactions; currently, mainstream L2s can process 1,500 transactions per second, handling over 90% of the Ethereum ecosystem’s transaction volume, and can continue to offload the mainnet in the short term. But they cannot address the core burdens of the mainnet and often introduce new complications; those L2s controlled by a few are more like "parasitic" extensions of the mainnet, and as the mainnet grows stronger, their scaling value diminishes.

6 The "L2 Bloodsucking" Controversy Explained
Let’s talk about the hotly debated "L2 bloodsucking" issue, which is actually a double-edged sword. On one hand, L2s do take business away from the mainnet: most transactions are completed on L2, and transaction fees and additional revenue mostly flow into L2 teams, reducing the mainnet’s fee income and weakening Ethereum tokens’ deflationary store of value. On the other hand, L2s also support the mainnet: before using L2, users must transfer Ethereum tokens onto L2, indirectly locking in a certain market cap of tokens; some fees from L2 are returned to the mainnet, and L2 can attract more users and applications to the Ethereum ecosystem, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. The core controversy is about uneven profit distribution, not L2 itself being problematic.

7 Native Scaling: The Ultimate Breakthrough Path
The real solution for Ethereum’s scaling is ultimately to rely on itself—"native scaling." Vitalik has explicitly stated that the top priority is to increase the mainnet’s transaction capacity by ten times, which will allow users to perform cross-L2 operations at low cost and simplify token issuance processes. Even if this makes it easier for a few institutions to control the mainnet, it’s a necessary step.
Ongoing technological advancements include:
• Sharding technology: significantly enhances the mainnet’s data processing capacity, enabling it to handle tens of thousands of transactions per second;
• Combining native scaling with efficient verification tech: makes interoperability between different networks smoother;
• Continuous optimization of mainnet storage and operational efficiency: lowers entry barriers for newcomers.
Meanwhile, Vitalik has also pointed L2 in a new direction: stop competing in the mainnet’s scaling race, and instead focus on niche areas like privacy transactions, gaming applications, AI or social scenarios, to develop unique features and complement the mainnet.

8 Conclusion and Outlook
Vitalik’s overturning of the original L2 vision is not a denial of L2’s value but a correction for the Ethereum ecosystem. During the early stage when the mainnet is not yet strong, L2s have indeed alleviated congestion and played a major role; but as the mainnet rises, L2s will shift to a "specialized auxiliary" role, no longer being the main scaling solution. Regarding the "bloodsucking" controversy, adjusting profit-sharing rules to let some L2 earnings flow back to the mainnet can achieve a win-win situation.
Ethereum’s ultimate goal is to develop into a "secure, fast, user-friendly" public chain. Now that the native scaling route is clear, once the technologies are implemented, the initial expectations placed on L2s can be realized. As long as L2s find their proper positioning and cooperate positively with the mainnet, they can also establish a solid presence in the ecosystem.
Ultimately, Ethereum’s prosperity is never the result of a single network’s solo act but the joint effort of the mainnet and various auxiliary networks working together and mutually supporting each other. The L2 dilemma is not unsolvable; native scaling combined with rational division of labor is the key to a truly thriving ecosystem.