TLDR
- Vitalik Buterin reaffirmed the original vision of Ethereum Layer-1 as a decentralized and permissionless ledger.
- His statement came in response to Joseph Lubin’s defense of Ethereum against rising interest in Layer-2 networks.
- BlackRock’s $3 billion tokenized fund shows a $2.6 billion allocation to ETH, far surpassing other altcoins.
- On June 19, BlackRock added 6,053 ETH worth over $15.4 million to its iShares ETH Trust.
- Lubin emphasized Ethereum’s openness, neutrality, and resistance to censorship as unmatched by newer blockchains.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin made a significant statement reaffirming Ethereum’s foundational values amid growing institutional interest. He emphasized Ethereum Layer-1 as the core decentralized and permissionless ledger first proposed in the 2013 whitepaper. This reaffirmation coincided with institutional players significantly increasing ETH holdings, highlighting a growing focus on its base layer.
His post came in response to fellow co-founder Joseph Lubin, who defended Ethereum’s architecture against the popularity of Layer-2 alternatives. The remarks followed the release of BlackRock’s $3 billion tokenized fund data showing dominant Ethereum exposure. Market dynamics suggest a renewed validation of Ethereum Layer-1 as a long-term foundational network.
Buterin’s brief statement referred to Ethereum Layer-1 as the world ledger, echoing the platform’s original decentralized mission. His message followed Lubin’s thread, which underlined Ethereum’s foundational strengths. The timing of both remarks aligned with BlackRock’s growing allocation and influence in the digital asset sector.
BlackRock Fund Prioritizes Ethereum Over Layer-2 Networks
Recent fund disclosures show BlackRock allocated over $2.6 billion of its tokenized crypto fund to ETH. In comparison, other competing chains, including Polygon and Solana, received between $18 million and $53 million. This significant disparity highlights Ethereum’s perceived strength as a base-layer protocol.
June 19 Update:
10 #Bitcoin ETFs
NetFlow: +2,761 $BTC(+$288.98M)🟢#iShares(Blackrock) inflows 2,681 $BTC($280.56M) and currently holds 683,018 $BTC($71.48B).9 #Ethereum ETFs
NetFlow: +2,413 $ETH(+$6.08M)🟢#iShares(Blackrock) inflows 6,053 $ETH($15.25M) and currently holds… pic.twitter.com/HcoH8sESka— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) June 19, 2025
BlackRock also added 6,053 ETH, worth over $15.4 million, to its Ethereum Trust on June 19. This consistent allocation pattern indicates strong confidence in Ethereum’s long-term position. Moreover, Layer-2 solutions like Optimism and Polygon saw smaller allocations despite their growing user bases.
Institutional moves validate Ethereum’s security, neutrality, and utility as a foundational platform. Despite rising competition from faster chains, ETH remains central in large-scale asset tokenization. Thus, institutional strategies reinforce the Layer-1 network as a structural cornerstone.
Ethereum Community Reinforces Layer-1 Narrative
Joseph Lubin praised Ethereum Layer-1’s openness, security, and decentralized attributes as unmatched by newer chains. He stressed that anyone can inspect, build upon, or interact with the Ethereum ledger without permission. Lubin called Ethereum “credibly neutral” and emphasized its self-correcting, transparent design.
Ethereum L1 is the world ledger. https://t.co/uLyxb2HeO2
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) June 20, 2025
He added that ETH continues to decentralize further, making centralization attempts increasingly difficult. Ethereum’s robust community and evolving consensus mechanisms support this transformation. He argued that Ethereum’s structure resists manipulation through built-in transparency and community vigilance.
