Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin revealed that the multidimensional issue known as the blockchain trilemma—encompassing the challenges of achieving decentralization, security, and scalability—has been effectively solved over the weekend.
His assertions indicate a significant advancement for the ecosystem, highlighting that the progress is being implemented through functional technologies on the Ethereum network.

Live Upgrades Transform Ethereum’s Infrastructure

In a comprehensive post shared on X on January 3, Buterin argued that the implementation of PeerDAS on Ethereum’s mainnet, together with zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines (ZK-EVMs) reaching the alpha phase, has revolutionized the network’s capabilities.

“The trilemma has been solved—not on paper, but with live running code,” he stated.

Buterin also mentioned that data availability sampling is fully operational, while ZK-EVMs have demonstrated production-level performance, although ongoing safety enhancements are still in progress.

He compared Ethereum’s current architecture to earlier peer-to-peer systems like BitTorrent, which, despite high bandwidth, lacked consensus and to Bitcoin, which achieved significant consensus and decentralization, albeit at the cost of throughput.
With PeerDAS and ZK-EVMs, Ethereum is now capable of merging all three elements, facilitating high bandwidth without centralized control. He characterized this evolution as a shift towards “a fundamentally new and more powerful kind of decentralized network”.

Community Reactions

The reactions in the community have been a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism. CryptoSensei wrote that these developments are more than mere tweaks, stressing that the practicality of PeerDAS renders the theoretical claims more credible. Conversely, others, like Solana developer Mert Mumtaz, dismissed the blockchain trilemma as an outdated notion, contending:

“It is not a real thing. The trilemma does not actually exist today.”

Importance of Decentralization

Buterin’s reflections were prompted by previous warnings regarding risks of centralization. He articulated that the future of blockchain hinges on not just technological upgrades but also on preserving decentralization and user-friendliness as it progresses.
Concerns peaked in 2025, a year marked by vital upgrades such as Pectra and Fusaka, but also faced criticisms regarding an increased reliance on layer-2 networks and major staking entities.

Analysts believe Buterin’s latest insights reshape the discourse, diverting attention from immediate price fluctuations to whether Ethereum can manage large-scale applications efficiently, without censorship, downtime, or excessive costs.