𧔠Vitalik Buterin shared a major update on Ethereum L2s. Hereâs the simple breakdown:
 Old view (2021â2024): L1 was slow/expensive, so L2s (Optimism, Arbitrum, zkSync) acted like âmini-Ethereum'sââbranded shards that moved most activity off L1 while inheriting its security.
- Whatâs changing (2026+):
L1 is getting much faster and cheaper, so âjust cheaper/faster Ethereumâ wonât be enough for many L2s.
-New L2 role:
With rollup precompiles, L2s can connect more directly to L1 and each other, reducing risky bridges. L2s must offer what L1 canât: privacy, specialized VMs, custom rules, new app types.
My Takeaway: Ethereum isnât killing L2s, itâs forcing them to evolve. Innovate and thrive; copy-paste and struggle.