Vitalik Buterin to Reembrace Decentralised Social Networks by 2026

Vitalik Buterin plans to return to decentralised social networks by 2026.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has announced plans to fully return to decentralised social networks by 2026.

In 2026, I plan to be fully back to decentralized social.

If we want a better society, we need better mass communication tools. We need mass communication tools that surface the best information and arguments and help people find points of agreement. We need mass communication… https://t.co/ye249HsojJ

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 21, 2026

According to him, the world requires fundamentally new tools for mass communication. He explained that it is time for people to move away from the model where everyone simply posts in one giant “information war zone,” as seen in the current X.

“We need mass communication tools that serve the long-term interests of the user, rather than maximising short-term engagement. There is no simple trick to solving these problems. But there is one important starting point: more competition,” the programmer wrote.

Buterin identified decentralisation as the key method to achieve this: with a shared data layer, everyone can create their own interface on top of it.

The Ethereum co-founder’s remarks come amid changes in two key projects. On January 20, the decentralised social platform Lens Protocol announced that Mask Network would take over its further development.

Today, we’re proud to share that @masknetwork will steward the next chapter for Lens, bringing the strongest onchain SocialFi foundation to life through intuitive, consumer-ready applications. pic.twitter.com/mwgZOn7k4s

— Lens (@LC) January 20, 2026

The following day, the platform Farcaster announced a similar move. Its entire technology stack—including smart contracts, source code, the main application, and the acquired token launch platform Clanker—will be transferred to the company Neynar.

“This was not an easy decision. Farcaster and the people building on it mean a lot to us. We are proud of what our team has built and what the community has created with us. But after five years, it became clear that Farcaster needs a new approach and leadership to unlock its full potential,” wrote Dan Romero, co-founder of the social network.

Although neither Lens Protocol nor Farcaster has yet released their own tokens, Buterin criticised the prevalent approach in the industry.

He noted that many social blockchain projects merely add a speculative element, presenting it as innovation.

“Too often in the crypto community, it is assumed that attaching a speculative coin to something automatically makes it an ‘innovation’ and drives progress forward,” he wrote.

The Ethereum co-founder emphasised that the real challenge lies elsewhere—in addressing the fundamental social issues inherent in modern platforms.

“Decentralised social networks should be led by people who genuinely believe in the ‘social’ mission and whose main motivation is to solve social problems,” Buterin concluded.

Earlier in January, he spoke out against the existing DAO model and urged the community to develop a more effective solution.