Buterin Unveils Plan to Scale Ethereum 10x by 2026

Key Takeaways
- Vitalik Buterin announces a 10x scaling of Ethereum Layer 1 (L1) within the next 18 months.
- The focus remains on security, decentralization, and user-friendliness.
- Ethereum ETFs record all-time high inflows of USD 564.18 million in May 2025.
- Despite strong fundamentals, the ETH price shows short-term weakness.
Buterin’s Plan: Making Ethereum More Efficient and Secure
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, presented a new roadmap at ETHGlobal in Prague. The goal is to increase the scalability of Ethereum Layer 1 by tenfold – within the next 18 months. Buterin emphasized that security and decentralization will remain top priorities.
Specifically, the plan includes technical improvements such as:
- The introduction of stateless nodes (nodes without permanent storage of state data)
- Optimizations to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), the core of smart contracts
However, Buterin warns against moving too quickly. Changes that could compromise censorship resistance or user privacy should be avoided.
Alternative Approaches to Scaling
While Buterin takes a cautious approach, Ethereum researcher Dankrad Feist proposes a more aggressive strategy: 100x scaling over five years. This proposal highlights the diversity of strategies within the Ethereum community. Nonetheless, both approaches aim for the same goal – a more powerful, scalable Ethereum network.
Ethereum ETFs: Institutional Interest on the Rise
In May 2025, Ethereum ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) saw their highest net inflows of the year. A total of USD 564.18 million flowed into the funds – a significant increase compared to the outflows recorded in March.
Total ETF assets under management rose to USD 9.45 billion. This indicates that institutional investors are regaining confidence in Ethereum – likely due in part to the announced scaling plans.
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Technical Analysis: ETH Price Shows Short-Term Weakness
Despite the positive news, the ETH price currently lacks clear upward momentum. Technical analysis suggests uncertainty:
- The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 53.77 – a neutral level with no clear buy or sell signals.
- The MACD (Moving Average Convergence Divergence) shows a bearish signal: the signal line is above the MACD line, and red bars are increasing.
- The price was rejected at USD 2,700 and has fallen back to USD 2,491.88.
Unless Ethereum breaks above the USD 2,550 mark – ideally with increasing trading volume – the short-term outlook remains cautious.
Our Assessment
The roadmap presented by Vitalik Buterin is a significant step for Ethereum’s future. A 10x scaling of the Layer 1 infrastructure could greatly reduce network congestion and make it more attractive to users. The cautious approach reflects a strong sense of responsibility toward security and decentralization.
At the same time, the strong interest from institutional investors – evident in ETF inflows – signals growing confidence in Ethereum’s long-term development.
In the short term, the price remains volatile. Technical indicators point to a wait-and-see attitude. Anyone invested in or considering investing in Ethereum should closely monitor the progress of scaling efforts and price movements.
Sources
- SoSoValue
- TradingView
- ETHGlobal Prague