According to Odaily, Vitalik Buterin recently emphasized a form of trustlessness that he believes has been undervalued for a long time in blockchain systems. His remarks focus not just on decentralization in infrastructure, but on decentralization of understanding.
Buterin explained that true trustlessness requires more than running nodes or verifying transactions. It is crucial that as many people as possible are able to understand the entire protocol—from start to finish. When full comprehension is limited to a small group of experts, the system still suffers from an implicit concentration of trust, even if it appears decentralized on the surface.
The Risk of Hidden Trust Concentration
While blockchain technology aims to remove reliance on intermediaries, Buterin pointed out that complexity itself can reintroduce trust. If only a handful of developers or researchers fully grasp how a protocol works, users are forced to trust those individuals’ interpretations, audits, and decisions. This creates a subtle but real centralization risk.
Ethereum’s Opportunity to Improve
Buterin acknowledged that Ethereum still has room to improve in this area. Over time, the protocol has grown more powerful—but also more complex. While innovation has expanded Ethereum’s capabilities, it has also raised the barrier to deep understanding.
To address this, he suggested simplifying protocol design and reducing unnecessary system complexity wherever possible. A more streamlined architecture would make it easier for developers, researchers, and independent auditors to fully understand how Ethereum works.
Why Simplicity Strengthens Security
Simpler systems are not only easier to learn—they are also easier to audit and secure. When more people can independently verify protocol behavior, bugs and vulnerabilities are more likely to be caught early. This broader participation strengthens transparency, reduces systemic risk, and improves long-term resilience.
