From 'Ethereum’s sidekick' to standalone stars: How Vitalik Buterin’s latest pivot is forcing Layer 2s to grow up

Leaders across the layer-2 space don't see this moment as an existential threat, but rather that Ethereum’s progress is forcing them to clarify their purpose. What to know : For years, Ethereum’s layer-2 networks have marketed themselves as extensions of Ethereum itself. But following recent comments from Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin questioning whether Ethereum still needs a dedicated layer-2 roadmap , many of those same teams are now emphasizing something different: that rollups are not Ethereum at all. Rather than signaling an existential threat, layer-2 leaders argue that Ethereum’s progress is forcing rollups to clarify their purpose and to stand on their own.