Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, in an interview on April 18, 2025, emphasized that DeFi’s future hinges on scalability improvements rather than chasing speculative hype, as noted in posts found on X. He highlighted ongoing upgrades to boost Ethereum’s throughput to 100,000 transactions per second, a goal outlined in his October 2024 roadmap, to support growing DeFi applications. Buterin cautioned against over-reliance on untested tokens, advocating for robust governance to prevent exploits like the recent Mantra crash.
Opinions on social platforms are mixed—supporters applaud his focus on fundamentals, while skeptics argue his vision may lag behind competitors like Solana or Sui, which are gaining traction. This stance could influence developer priorities, potentially steering DeFi toward sustainable growth if Ethereum’s upgrades succeed. However, the challenge lies in balancing innovation with the community’s appetite for quick gains, a tension Buterin acknowledges as critical to address.