Ethereum 
$2,332 co-founder Vitalik Buterin has established new standards for layer-2 scaling solutions. He announced that projects reaching “Stage 1” will receive approval. This decision will determine whether projects can gather public support based on their ability to meet decentralization goals.
Decentralization Goals
Buterin emphasized the necessity for layer-2 solutions to take steps towards complete decentralization. The “training wheels” concept introduced in 2022 describes the process by which projects escape from centralized control and security vulnerabilities. “Stage 0” refers to the initial phase where projects are dependent on centralized control and lack robust cryptographic security.
The next phase, “Stage 1,” integrates significant elements such as proof of validity and multi-signature setups under a secure council’s guidance, moving beyond merely “inflated multi-signatures.” This stage aims to enhance the functionality of rollups.
Ethereum’s Efficiency Goals
Ethereum is at a critical turning point in its scaling efforts. Layer 1 upgrades, like the Dencun update, have made progress. Now, focus shifts toward making layer-2 rollups more efficient and secure, aiming to increase their capacity and fine-tune their systems.
Projects like ZKsync, Arbitrum, and Optimism aim to achieve complete decentralization in the coming years. Buterin anticipates that Ethereum will transition to a new stage with rollups by 2025.
The new standards Buterin set for layer-2 solutions reflect Ethereum’s long-term vision for decentralization and security. Layer-2 projects are engaged in intensive efforts to meet these goals. This process is critical for the future development of blockchain technologies. Ethereum’s scalability potential can be advanced further through layer-2 solutions.
