To understand the future of Ethereum, it helps to start with its creator, Vitalik Buterin. Before launching Ethereum in 2015, he believed that blockchain was not just the foundation for digital currency, but also a tool for identity, coordination, public trust, and more.
In a 2021 interview with The Tim Ferriss Show, Buterin described Ethereum as "dynamic and constantly growing… an evolving organism." This adaptability continues to define the network today.
On its 10th anniversary, we asked voices from various sectors of the community: what might the next decade look like?
Consensys, founded by Ethereum co-founder Joseph Lubin, has played a significant role in shaping the network's infrastructure. In its latest report, the foundation outlined an ambitious roadmap for Ethereum's future.
We spoke with one of the report's authors, Chief Economist Mallesh Pai, about Ethereum's long-term trajectory:
"In the next 5-10 years, Ethereum will evolve from the world's leading smart contract platform to the foundational layer of the future global economy… growth will be driven by asset digitization, starting with stablecoins and then moving up the risk stack."
Pai noted that as assets migrate on-chain, businesses will follow. However, he emphasized that this advantage depends both on current contributors and the new generation of institutional and business builders.
While Bitcoin (BTC) is more common in the treasury assets of public companies, many companies are adopting Ethereum's native token, Ether (ETH). Digital media and technology company GameSquare is one of those making significant bets on Ethereum's long-term future.
"We invest in ETH because we believe it is the most credible long-term digital asset aligned with the direction of internet development." While other chains may offer lower fees or faster speeds, Ethereum leads due to its "community and composability," GameSquare CEO Justin Kenna told Cointelegraph.
Kenna stated that Ethereum is evolving into "the financial and cultural backbone of the internet—powering everything from global payments and asset management to entertainment IP, gaming economies, and digital identity." "It will become the infrastructure layer that supports how major global brands connect with their audiences."
The modular blockchain oracle network RedStone provides real-world data for smart contracts. However, co-founder Marcin Kaźmierczak believes Ethereum will far exceed DeFi in the next decade.
"Ethereum could evolve into the foundational layer for institutional finance and the tokenization of real-world assets," he said.
"We will see significant improvements in scalability through ongoing L2 development, expanding the foundational L1 layer, and possibly new virtual machines on top of the network, making Ethereum more user-friendly for large-scale developers."
Kaźmierczak predicts a shift towards seamless blockchain integration, where users interact with Ethereum-driven services without realizing it—just like they do with AI today. "The true measure of success will not be TVL or gas fees," he said, "but how intangible yet essential Ethereum becomes to global finance."
The layer-two network Optimism, built on Ethereum, sees the next decade for Ethereum as a decade of enterprise migration.
"In the next 10 years, every large enterprise will migrate on-chain, with most vertically integrating into their own infrastructure built on Ethereum," OP Labs Product Lead Sam McIngvale told Cointelegraph.
With increased regulatory clarity, institutions, payment companies, and fintech firms are beginning to build. "Enterprises need robust, secure, and flexible infrastructure to succeed," he said.
For Coinbase Developer Platform Lead Nemil Dalal, Ethereum's long-term success depends on usability and its builder community.
"Looking ahead to the next 10 years, I believe Ethereum will be the foundation for new use cases… such as AI agents trading on our behalf, richer on-chain social communities, and gaming."
What gives him the most confidence?
"Builders," he said. "The Ethereum community has always been committed to emergence, experimentation, and delivery—this is what will continue to drive it forward."
There are a variety of visions for what will happen next, but a common thread runs through them: Ethereum is evolving from a smart contract platform to the foundational layer for real-world assets, enterprise systems, and everyday digital interactions.
If the first decade was about exploring what blockchain can do, the next decade may be about Ethereum quietly becoming an essential part of how the world operates.
Related: Sygnum: With liquidity surging and regulations clarifying, "altcoin season" may be approaching.
Original: “Ethereum (ETH) 2035: What the Next 10 Years Might Look Like”
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