Vitalik Buterin's Proposal to Simplify Ethereum Protocol

In a recent development in the cryptocurrency sphere, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has proposed simplifying the Ethereum protocol to improve its efficiency and scalability. Buterin’s proposal has sparked discussion and criticism, particularly from Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, who expressed his skepticism about the direction of Ethereum’s development.

On May 3, 2025, Buterin shared his thoughts on the importance of simplifying the Ethereum protocol. He envisions making Ethereum "simpler," drawing a comparison to Bitcoin in terms of its relative simplicity. Buterin's aim is to reduce the system's complexity and render it more understandable for users and developers.

This proposal includes a long-term plan to simplify Ethereum’s consensus layer, which could involve replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with a more efficient RISC-V architecture. Buterin highlighted that this move would be part of a long-term strategy to integrate new technologies and further improve the scalability and resilience of the Ethereum network in the future.

However, Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream and a strong supporter of Bitcoin, reacted critically to Buterin’s proposal. In a brief statement, Back expressed that people should "sell ETH before its value drops to zero and buy Bitcoin."

I literally told him so a decade ago ? but they still haven't learned about balance vs utxo or the complexity of state, "rich state fullness" mistake. Redirecting miner revenue to the insiders with PoS etc. At this point just flush it before it hits 0, and buy Bitcoin.

suggesting he is not a fan of the advice he is giving to the crypto community. It seems that Back is advising investors to quickly sell their Ethereum holdings and invest in Bitcoin instead.

This advice comes amid Buterin’s recent proposal to simplify the Ethereum protocol, which Back might see as a sign of deeper problems with Ethereum’s design. Buterin’s proposal was to make Ethereum simpler, similar to Bitcoin, with the aim of increasing efficiency and reducing system complexity.

Buterin believes that by simplifying the protocol, Ethereum can become more understandable and accessible to users and developers. He also suggests a long-term plan to simplify Ethereum’s consensus layer, which could include replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with a more efficient RISC-V architecture.

However, Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, expressed his critical view of Buterin’s proposal and highlighted what he sees as fundamental problems in Ethereum’s design.

In a statement, Adam Back stated, "But they still haven’t learned about balance vs utxo or the complexity of state, 'rich state fullness' mistake. Redirecting miner revenue to the insiders with PoS etc. At this point just flush it before it hits 0, and buy Bitcoin."

This comment suggests that Back is critical of the direction of Ethereum’s development and prefers the technology behind Bitcoin. He is known for his strong stance on Bitcoin and his skepticism towards other cryptocurrencies.

Buterin’s proposal to simplify the Ethereum protocol is part of a broader effort to improve the network’s efficiency and scalability. As the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, Buterin’s suggestions are likely to spark further discussion and analysis among crypto enthusiasts and investors.