Ethereum’s primary goal for the next decade is to ensure the network’s seamless operation to preserve users’ digital autonomy. Vitalik Buterin stated this during a live broadcast marking the 10th anniversary of the mainnet of the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.
According to him, since Ethereum’s inception, developers have achieved much of what was described in the white paper.
“There was a lot about DeFi, a decentralized domain name system — and now we have ENS. Although NFTs were not mentioned in the white paper, I think they will find their place where necessary. […] Some things didn’t work initially but are now gaining momentum — for example, prediction markets,” Buterin said.
The programmer noted that the mission for the coming years will remain the creation of applications “that advance humanity and improve cooperation,” while protecting users’ digital rights.
Industry Leaders Weigh In
In honor of Ethereum’s 10th anniversary, representatives of the crypto industry also shared forecasts about the future of the second-largest cryptocurrency network. In comments to Cointelegraph, ConsenSys Chief Economist Malles Pai stated:
“In the next five or ten years, Ethereum will transform from a leading smart contract platform into the foundation of the next-generation global economy.”
He believes that growth will be driven by tokenization, “which will start with stablecoins.” Pai added that attracting new institutional and commercial developers will also play a key role.
Justin Kenna, CEO of GameSquare, whose company invests in ETH, emphasized that Ethereum is “the most promising asset of the digital age.” The network of the second-largest cryptocurrency will become “the basis for payments, revolutionary gaming projects, and brand interactions with users,” he noted.
Sam McIngvale, head of OP Labs, agreed, believing that in the coming years all “major companies will switch to Ethereum.”
“Ethereum will enable the creation of AI agents for autonomous transactions, new types of social networks, and new gaming economies. The engine of progress is the developer community,” added Coinbase representative Nemil Dalal.
The Quantum Computing Threat
One of the key challenges for Ethereum is the network’s resilience to quantum computing. Analysts at Mysten Labs previously highlighted this issue. They stated that the blockchains of the two largest cryptocurrencies by market capitalization, which operate on the ECDSA algorithm, are less protected from such a threat.
In March, Buterin proposed protecting users’ funds from quantum computers through a simple “recovery fork.” He noted that this would require transitioning to specific addresses (account abstraction) and implementing quantum-resistant cryptography like Winternitz signatures and STARK technology.
On July 31, developer Justin Drake presented another solution — the “Lean Ethereum” upgrade plan, which aims to:
- make the network resistant to quantum attacks;
- simplify the technology stack (consensus, data processing, and smart contract execution).
According to him, it is necessary to create a zero-knowledge proof-based EVM. These will allow data verification on the blockchain without revealing its content and protect smart contract execution from quantum computers, Drake noted.
The developer also called for the use of selective data availability checks, which will reduce data storage requirements while maintaining network integrity.
Another proposal is to implement an open RISC-V architecture. Drake emphasized that it will make the consensus layer more secure and simplify technical components. Buterin had previously discussed this as well.
Back in April, Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson predicted Ethereum’s demise within 10-15 years.