Vitalik Buterin Calls for Ethereum to Build Digital Sanctuary Technologies

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently proposed that blockchain should not be limited to the financial sector but should undertake the mission of building a digital sanctuary system. He pointed out that in the past year, the public has become increasingly concerned about government surveillance, the expansion of corporate power, social media manipulation, and the social impact of artificial intelligence. Against this backdrop, he called on Ethereum developers to focus on the research and development of "sanctuary technologies"—that is, through open-source, decentralized methods, to help users live, work, communicate, and manage personal risks safely.

The core goal of these technologies is not to impose a certain financial or governance model but to alleviate power imbalances in society. Buterin emphasized that Ethereum cannot directly solve all social problems, but it can become an infrastructure for collaboration and digital stability. Multi-signature wallets, decentralized governance mechanisms, and persistent digital assets are key tools to support the embodiment of social consensus in the digital space.

He also pointed out that true technological progress requires cross-domain collaboration. Starlink's global communication coverage, Signal's end-to-end encrypted communication, and Wikipedia-style Community Notes content review mechanisms are all examples worth learning from. Ethereum's role is not to replace these systems but to provide a shared digital space without centralized control, enhancing its resilience and credibility. To serve those marginalized by mainstream platforms, developers should prioritize optimizing the usability of decentralized payments, inclusive finance, and social applications. By collaborating with existing open technology ecosystems, Ethereum is gradually evolving into an important cornerstone for building a free and secure digital society.