Ethereum occupies a role similar to the Linux operating system but for shifting value and risk on the internet, according to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

The comparison highlights how both platforms maintain open source architecture while supporting custom-tailored implementations. Linux achieves this through developers building modified software versions, while Ethereum accomplishes it through layer-2 scaling networks.

Linux has delivered value to billions of individuals, enterprises, and state governments without compromising its open source principles or decentralization, Buterin stated. He added that Ethereum L1 must work as the financial home for individuals and organizations seeking higher autonomy, giving them access to the full network power without dependence on intermediaries.

The Ethereum ecosystem includes 127 layer-2 networks at the time of writing, according to L2Beat. Critics argue that too many layer-2 networks exist, competing with Ethereum and reducing the base layer’s revenue, which fell following the Dencun upgrade in March 2024.

Supporters of Ethereum’s scaling approach say the diverse ecosystem of layer-2 networks provides users with optionality and improved experience. The modular scaling strategy potentially allows Ethereum to support many high-throughput chains built on top of the base layer.

Anurag Arjun, co-founder of Ethereum L2 Polygon, stated that the rollup-centric roadmap architecture allows multiple teams to experiment with different execution environments and block times. He described this flexibility as an under-appreciated aspect of the design.

Arjun warned that high-throughput chains without true blockchain interoperability will lead to greater ecosystem fragmentation. This would trap user liquidity within isolated pools and create a worse user experience, according to Arjun.

The analogy underscores the Ethereum Foundation’s long-term goals of making Ethereum an operating system for the internet. The vision includes distributed computation, transferring value and risk, and reaching consensus online.

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