Vitalik Buterin has acknowledged that Bitcoin maximalists were “well ahead” in recognizing a significant threat to the independence of cryptocurrency.
The co-founder of Ethereum cautions that much of the current internet landscape has devolved into what he refers to as “corposlop.”
Buterin emphasizes that true sovereignty today involves safeguarding privacy, maintaining user attention, and ensuring user autonomy.
In an unusual move for someone from the Ethereum community, Vitalik Buterin offered praise to Bitcoin maximalists. He responded to a widely shared post predicting developments between 2026 and 2030, which highlighted the division between an “open web” and a “sovereign web.” This prompted Buterin to introduce a novel term for what he perceives as fundamentally wrong with today’s internet: corposlop.
Understanding Corposlop
This distinction allowed Buterin to articulate thoughts he had not fully expressed before. He contended that what many still regard as the “open web” has transformed significantly over time.
He defined corposlop as an amalgamation of corporate optimization strategies, polished marketing tactics, and behaviors that appear respectable yet exist solely for profit maximization.
This includes platforms promoting sensationalism and dopamine-driven content alongside extensive data harvesting practices. It also encompasses closed ecosystems with exorbitant fees and trend-based products that feel repetitive and insipid. In his words, corposlop represents “trend-following uniformity that’s both morally questionable and uninspiring.”
Acknowledgment of Bitcoin Maximalists’ Insight
Buterin recognized the skepticism exhibited by Bitcoin maximalists towards ICOs (Initial Coin Offerings), alternative cryptocurrencies (altcoins), and speculative token trading. Their objective was clear: preserving Bitcoin’s sovereignty outside of the confines imposed by corposlop.
“I must concede that bitcoin maximalists were quite advanced in their thinking,” he remarked.“Their concerns were valid.”
While he disagrees with their approach—particularly regarding government interventions or restricting Bitcoin’s technical capabilities—their core worries are indeed justified.
The New Definition of Sovereignty
According to Buterin, modern sovereignty extends well beyond merely possessing private keys; it now encompasses protecting digital privacy rights while limiting corporate influence over individual attention spans. It also involves resisting systems designed primarily for extracting personal time, data, or finances from users.
“Today’s notion of ‘sovereignty’ includes securing your digital privacy through cryptographic means while shielding your mind from corporate manipulation,” wrote Buterin.
The message directed at developers and users alike was straightforward yet ideological: “Embrace sovereignty. Reject corposlop. Have faith in somETHing.”
The Implications for Cryptocurrency Users
This concept of corposlop provides users with a framework through which they can assess wallets, decentralized exchanges (DEXs), and various protocols available in crypto space. The fundamental question remains clear: does this product empower you or does it extract value from you?