Buterin outlines ossifiability roadmap to keep Ethereum running without core devs

Beincrypto reports Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is advancing the concept of “ossifiability” — a roadmap to let the network “freeze” and continue functioning even if core developers disappear. The idea, first articulated in 2024 as part of the walkaway test, aims to position Ethereum as a trustless foundation that can operate independently for decades.

Buterin says ossifiability requires seven technical milestones, including immediate quantum resistance; scalability via ZK-EVM validation and PeerDAS; a long-term state architecture; full account abstraction; secure gas models; strong proof‑of‑stake economics; and a censorship‑resistant block building model.

Critics and researchers warn of practical challenges: Equation X called retrofitting Ethereum with zkEVMs as L2 solutions a "halfway fix" and noted ZK‑native chains such as StarkNet or Miden were built from the ground up and that retrofitted solutions "might need rebuilding when proving tech evolves." Implementation risks cited in the coverage include coordinating multiple milestones through parameter changes over decades, staking centralization, client diversity, and validator dynamics; a Bitium blog excerpt said about 30–34 million ETH is staked and that Lido controls about 29–31% of staked ETH in many reports.

Key Topics

Crypto, Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum, Zk-evm, Peerdas, Lido