Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has given a rare acknowledgment to Bitcoin maximalists, admitting they were "far ahead" in identifying what he now calls "corposlop"—the corporate-driven internet ecosystem that prioritizes profit extraction over user sovereignty. In a detailed Farcaster post responding to predictions about the 2026-2030 period, Buterin articulated a distinction between the "open web" and the "sovereign web," crediting Bitcoin proponents for their early resistance to ICOs, altcoins, and token speculation aimed at preserving Bitcoin's independence from corporate systems.
Buterin defined "corposlop" as a toxic combination of corporate optimization power, polished branding, and behavior that appears respectable but exists purely to maximize profit. This includes platforms that push outrage and dopamine-heavy content, engage in mass data collection, create closed ecosystems with high fees, and produce trend-driven products that feel repetitive and hollow. He described it as "trend-following homogeneity that is both evil and lame."
While acknowledging Bitcoin maximalists' foresight, Buterin clarified he disagrees with their methods, particularly advocating for government crackdowns and limiting Bitcoin's technical capabilities. However, he emphasized their underlying concern about preserving sovereignty was legitimate.
The Ethereum founder argued that modern sovereignty extends beyond holding private keys to include protecting digital privacy through cryptography and securing one's mind from "corporate mind warfare" designed to extract attention, data, and money. He called on developers to build privacy-preserving applications, wealth-building tools without dangerous leverage (specifically criticizing 50x leverage, sports betting, and loans for everyday purchases), and AI systems that enhance rather than replace human productivity.
Buterin traced the evolution of sovereignty from early 2000s concerns about government overreach to today's challenge of resisting corporate manipulation. He urged the industry to reject homogenizing forces and build toward a "sovereign web" where products empower users rather than extract from them. His message concluded with a direct call: "Be sovereign. Reject corposlop. Believe in somETHing."
This philosophical intervention comes alongside Buterin's recent technical writings where he argued Ethereum must prioritize bandwidth scaling over latency reduction, following breakthroughs with zero-knowledge EVMs and PeerDAS technology that have driven 110% growth in new addresses since December's Fusaka upgrade. He has also recently defended Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, highlighting the ongoing tension between crypto's foundational principles and regulatory pressures.
