Vitalik Buterin warns Ethereum must survive without core developers

At the 4th Hong Kong Web3 Festival on April 20, 2026, Vitalik Buterin stressed that Ethereum must be capable of operating securely without reliance on its core developers, presenting the “walkaway test” as a resilience benchmark. He outlined technical priorities — formal verification (now aided by AI) and research into quantum resistance — and reaffirmed Ethereum’s focus on security and decentralization over transaction speed. The remarks reinforce Ethereum’s long-term positioning as a dependable platform for DeFi and smart contracts, which could bolster investor confidence in its durability and reduce governance-related tail risks. Bitcoin was cited as an example of a system that runs independently of its original creators.