Vitalik Buterin defended Ethereum’s shift to proof-of-stake as a major step toward reducing blockchain energy use.
He supported global travel for crypto events, calling it a necessary trade-off to prevent geographic centralization.
Buterin backed Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm, helping raise over $750,000 for legal defense tied to privacy rights.
Buterin has criticized the organizations that do not protect the environment and store records of the transactions. According to a post on X by Cointelegraph, the co-founder of Ethereum paid attention to the energy consumption of the network and the means that the industry employs to travel. He described the shift of Ethereum to proof-of-stake (PoS) as one of the biggest moves toward making the technology consume less power.
https://twitter.com/Cointelegraph/status/1941723951270392023
Ethereum 2.0 saves a lot on the consumption of energy, according to Buterin, and is quite decentralized and secure. Buterin also responded to criticism about the crypto industry’s travel habits. A user raised concerns over the emissions linked to regular attendance at global events. In reply, Buterin stated that travel emissions are acceptable if they support a geographically diverse crypto community. He said the environmental trade-off is less harmful than the energy costs of mining activities.
Transition to Proof-of-Stake and Its Implications
The PoS transition in Ethereum eliminates the situation of using powerful mining machines that PoW networks such as Bitcoin require. According to Buterin, the action enhances efficiency on the network, as well as aiding in the sustainability of environmental objectives over a long-run period.
At the conference, the guests discussed the possibility of new centralization or security problems that PoS might develop. Buterin then responded by considering these issues although he continued to argue that the upgrade in Ethereum will assist in satisfying the needs of sustainability by investors and regulators.
Several conference sessions discussed how consensus mechanisms shape blockchain ecosystems. Buterin’s remarks came as industry participants continue evaluating how to balance energy use with network performance. The Ethereum upgrade, already in effect, aims to lead this shift across the crypto sector.
Privacy Debate and Legal Support for Tornado Cash Developer
Buterin also voiced support for privacy in blockchain systems. He publicly backed Roman Storm, a Tornado Cash developer facing charges in the U.S. Storm was accused of enabling crypto mixing to evade sanctions. In March 2025, a court ruling overturned some restrictions tied to the case.
Buterin helped raise over $750,000 for Storm’s legal defense. The fund received contributions from the Ethereum Foundation and investor Matt Huang of Paradigm. Buterin described privacy tools as essential for user protection, not for criminal use. He stressed that privacy ensures transaction safety in decentralized systems.
Community Activity and New Ethereum Developments
EthCC featured sessions on Ethereum's technical progress, decentralized finance (DeFi), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). New tools and projects were introduced to support ecosystem growth. Developers also announced partnerships and community-driven initiatives focused on improving adoption and utility.The event emphasized Ethereum’s move toward energy efficiency and better privacy standards. According to Foresight News, Buterin said avoiding geographic centralization in crypto requires some trade-offs, including global travel. He added that these emissions remain lower than the environmental cost of mining. Buterin’s remarks reflected Ethereum’s ongoing effort to align with sustainability and legal transparency.
