Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, emphasized the revitalized momentum of the Web3 vision on his personal X (Twitter) account. He highlighted how the decentralized internet goal set in 2014 is more attainable today than ever before, making an open call for developers to “build” upon this vision.
2014 Web3 Dream Still Alive
Buterin reminded his followers that the vision from 2014 aimed to create a permissionless, decentralized platform for applications in finance, social media, governance, crowdfunding, and even an alternative internet infrastructure. He noted that this vision rests on three pillars, with Ethereum acting as the “world computer,” providing a shared memory for applications, while messaging and storage layers complete the structure.
Acknowledging the emergence of different narratives over time, Buterin emphasized that the core idea of Web3 has never disappeared and is now technically stronger than ever.
Ethereum Becomes Cheaper and More Scalable
According to Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s transition to Proof of Stake significantly increased the network’s scalability and cost-efficiency. He pointed out that the long-discussed “sharding” goal has been effectively realized through ZK-EVM technologies and PeerDAS, while Layer-2 (L2) solutions offer additional speed and efficiency benefits.
In the messaging sphere, Waku, which replaced Whisper, is now widely used in decentralized applications, demonstrating marked progress in the quality of decentralized communications.
Fileverse Example: “Truly Owned” Applications
Buterin specifically highlighted Fileverse as an exemplary model of how decentralized applications should be built. Fileverse utilizes Ethereum and Gnosis Chain for identity, authorization, and document registration, while enabling decentralized messaging and file storage for document sharing.
A standout point from Buterin’s discussion was the “walkaway test.” This implies that even if the platform ceases to exist, users can still access their documents and operate through an open-source interface, illustrating true decentralization.
“Decentralized Renaissance” Approaches
Concluding his statement, Buterin mentioned that decentralized applications were merely “toys” in 2014, but are now mature enough for daily use. As we approach 2026, he underscores that the Web3 infrastructure is ready, urging developers and users to join the imminent “Decentralized Renaissance.”
