The Ethereum Foundation (EF) published a document on its official blog on March 23, redefining the relationship model between Ethereum and a network of secondary chains known as Layer 2 or L2 for the first time since 2021.
This statement is signed by EF Platform team members Josh Rudolph, Julian Marr, and Josh Stark. Presents a new vision of how each layer of the ecosystem should work And what is expected of each?
According to the document, Ethereum’s base layer (main network or L1) is hub Global payments, national sharing, and decentralized finance (DeFi). The idea is to extend without compromising its fundamental characteristics, grouped under the acronym CROPS: Censorship Resistance, Open Source, Privacy, and Security, which are the pillars that EF strives to promote.
The L2 chain is The primary purpose of expanding the network, as defined in 2021, is no longer there.but to extend the properties of Ethereum to a larger number of users while providing differentiation, customization, and control to its own ecosystem.
statement Recognizes that the role of L2 is evolving. when the model is centered roll up (solutions that increase speed and reduce commissions), the focus was on the ability to scale. Today, EF points out the maximum value of L2. Under differentiation: Specific use cases, additional privacy, unique governance mechanisms, low latency, and independent trading strategies.
EF has also set out concrete commitments, including scaling base layer and data availability without sacrificing decentralization, improving L1 liquidity, and investing in research towards so-called native rollups. This allows L2 to be directly verified by L1 in a reliable manner without the need for security advice. That is, Layer 2 does validation directly at Layer 1 without using any alternative mechanisms.
Ethereum focuses on strategic change
This new technology roadmap from the Ethereum Foundation does not come in isolation. The document comes amid a series of strategic moves by the EF.
As reported by CriptoNoticias, in February 2026, the organization began staking 70,000 ETH (equivalent to approximately USD 126 million) from its treasury as an alternative to direct ETH sales by the community. had doubts about the possibility of a depreciation effect on asset prices..
In the same month, Vitalik Buterin formalized the EF’s authority in writing, establishing that the EF would act as a custodian of Ethereum rather than a central authority. CROPS as a non-negotiable pillar.
In that sense, the new L1-L2 Vision is an operational extension of that mission. It clarifies not only what EF is, but also how the ecosystem it claims to protect should be built technically.
For L2 chains, this document contains specific recommendations. In addition to contributing to the interoperability solutions that the ecosystem is developing, EF is moving towards higher levels of decentralization and security, and is seeking to be transparent with users about which properties it inherits from Ethereum and which properties it does not.
The organization prioritizes support for L2, which addresses privacy, security, and disintermediation.
The proposal is part of a series of recent strategic moves by EF. As reported by CriptoNoticias, the organization announced its 2026 roadmap in February 2026, in which it established post-quantum security as a top priority along with increased network processing power.
For the average user, these improvements will lead to cheaper transactions, greater security of funds against future threats such as quantum computing, and a more fluid experience when moving assets between different networks in the ecosystem.
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