Vitalik Buterin Reflects: How Can Ethereum Truly Improve People's Lives?

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently frankly pointed out that although Ethereum has become one of the world's largest blockchain ecosystems, it has not yet realized its original vision in improving the quality of life of ordinary people.

He noted that today's society is facing increasing control and chaos: enhanced government surveillance, tech giants dominating the digital space, frequent geopolitical conflicts, and deep intervention of artificial intelligence in public opinion. Social media platforms are gradually evolving into "emotional war zones," algorithm-driven misinformation is replacing genuine dialogue, and user trust in platforms continues to decline.

Buterin emphasized that merely criticizing these phenomena is far from enough. What is truly crucial is building technological tools that can help people resist external pressures. He specifically mentioned that speculative meme coins or gambling-related crypto applications do not worry him. What truly concerns him is whether Ethereum provides a practical and effective infrastructure that allows ordinary people to manage wealth more securely, protect privacy, and collaborate autonomously. To this end, he proposed the concept of "Sanctuary Technologies" – a set of open-source, decentralized, and ownerless digital tools that enable individuals to maintain autonomy and stability in a turbulent digital environment. These tools include decentralized finance protocols, on-chain governance mechanisms, and collaborative decision-making systems, with the core goal of creating "stable islands in the digital age." In Buterin's vision, Ethereum should not just be a hotbed for financial speculation, but should become the underlying public good that supports social resilience and protects digital rights. Only in this way can it be worthy of the original ideal of changing the world.