Vitalik Warns Ethereum Smart Wallets Face Relay Risks Ahead of Hegota Upgrade

On May 25, Vitalik Buterin flagged critical relay dependencies in smart contract wallets and privacy tools, warning of censorship risks before the late-2026 Hegota upgrade. The alert follows his May 20 three-step privacy roadmap and May 18 push for AI-assisted formal verification to counter exploits. Earlier, Joseph Lubin argued blockchain could fix the US debt crisis, while SlowMist’s Cos stressed Ethereum’s central role. Market focus has shifted from speculation to infrastructure security, with ETH trading near $2,110 amid ongoing upgrade preparations.