Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, is urging the platform to evolve beyond its financial origins. He advocates for building open systems that protect privacy, freedom, and coordination in an increasingly unstable digital world.
Buterin described these initiatives as “sanctuary technologies.” These are decentralized infrastructures designed to shield users from government and corporate surveillance, geopolitical turmoil, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
While financial autonomy remains crucial, Buterin noted that an exclusive focus on monetary applications overlooks deeper global user concerns. He highlighted existing liberating infrastructure, including satellite internet services like Starlink, local open-source AI models, encrypted messaging via Signal, and crowd-sourced verification systems like Community Notes.
Ethereum, he argues, should foster shared digital environments. These spaces would enable individuals and organizations to coordinate, manage assets, and govern collective systems independently of centralized authorities. Such environments could include payment networks, decision-making frameworks, and collaborative platforms designed for longevity.
Buterin emphasized that Ethereum should not aim to overhaul global systems, which would require concentrated power counter to its decentralized nature. Instead, it should collaborate with other open technologies to offer stability and self-determination in a fragmented global landscape.
He called for developers to create a comprehensive infrastructure stack, extending from user-facing applications and wallets down to operating systems, hardware, and security layers.