During Devconnect 2023, Vitalik Buterin strongly criticized Web3 applications that rely on centralized logins, such as Google. In this article, we review his statements and his call to reclaim the decentralized essence of the crypto ecosystem.
Two years ago, during the Devconnect event in Istanbul, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum and one of the most influential figures in the blockchain ecosystem, launched a critique that still resonates in the crypto community. In an interview with The Defiant, Buterin expressed his frustration with a growing trend in the Web3 world: the use of Google logins in applications that call themselves decentralized.
“I hate apps that require a Google login but claim to be crypto.”, sentenced.
Beyond the direct tone, his words reflect a deep concern about the direction many developers and projects in the ecosystem have taken. For Buterin, decentralization is not a technical flourish or a marketing slogan, but the ideological core that gave rise to the vision of a freer, more open and censorship-resistant internet.
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On his personal blog, he published an article titled “Make Ethereum Cypherpunk Again”where he delved deeper into this tension between the original promise of Web3 and its current implementation. According to him, many applications presented as decentralized actually rely on centralized infrastructures, such as Google authentication services or traditional server storage. This, he claims, “It goes against the spirit of cryptocurrencies”.
The term Web3, coined by Gavin Wood —also a co-founder of Ethereum—, was conceived as a vision for an open technology stack for a new internet. It wasn't just about Bitcoin plus Ethereum's smart contracts, but a completely decentralized architecture that would allow users to regain control over their data, their identity, and their finances.
However, in practice, many platforms have opted for shortcuts. Instead of building identity sovereignty solutions or decentralized wallets, they have integrated traditional login systems, such as Google or Facebook, for their convenience and familiarity for the userBut, for Buterin, this decision compromises user autonomy and perpetuates the same dependency models that Web3 promised to overcome.
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In her full testButerin also identified a structural cause behind this shift: the increase in transaction fees on blockchain networks. “When the cost of writing to the chain was $0.001 or even $0.1, you could imagine all sorts of applications using blockchain in diverse, even non-financial, ways,” he wrote. But when fees reach several dollars, only users willing to take high risks remain active.
This shift in the user base has had a cultural effect. According to Buterin, when speculators dominate the use of the network, both public perception and the internal culture of the ecosystem are adjusted. Social innovation, privacy, resistance to censorship, and other founding ideals are relegated to the background in favor of the logic of immediate financial return.
Furthermore, Buterin pointed to a growing disconnect between the crypto community and other decentralization movements, such as free software and digital activism. “Significant parts of the non-blockchain decentralization community see the crypto world as a distraction, not an ally,” he lamented. This ideological divide, he argued, weakens Web3's transformative potential.
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Vitalik's call to return to the roots
Far from being destructive criticism, Buterin's message is a call for reflection. In his view, the future of Ethereum and Web3 depends on recovering the principles that gave rise to the movement: digital sovereignty, transparency, resistance to censorship and open collaborationThis involves rethinking how applications are designed, how digital identity is managed, and how infrastructures are built.
To achieve this, Buterin proposes a joint evolution between infrastructure layers and applications. It's not just about improving the technology, but about aligning incentives, design practices, and ecosystem culture with the values of decentralization. “Truly decentralized applications must be built on solid foundations of technology and governance.”He said.
In a context where the crypto world's narrative is often dominated by speculation and noise, Buterin's stance emerges as a critical reminder of the direction things are heading. His criticism of the use of Google logins is not a minor technical detail, but rather a signal of how certain design choices can compromise the promise of a freer and more decentralized internet.
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