Vitalik: Ethereum should keep running even if all developers leave The Ethereum protocol itself must pass the 'walk-away test'—even if all core developers disappear, it should still run reliably forever without relying on continuous vendor-like service updates. To achieve true trust minimization, Ethereum needs to solidify its protocol as soon as possible. Vitalik outlined the protocol solidification checklist for the coming years: 1. Full quantum resistance 2. Sufficient scalability (ZK-EVM + PeerDAS, etc., thousands of TPS) 3. State architecture that lasts for decades (statelessness + state expiry) 4. Generalized account abstraction (moving away from ECDSA) 5. Sustainable PoS economy + decentralized block building Once the protocol solidification is complete, future innovations will only require parameter adjustments, eliminating the need for major upgrades.