Key Takeaways
- •Vitalik Buterin suggests developers can build directly on Ethereum Layer 1.
- •Ethereum gas fees have remained low heading into 2025.
- •Demand for Layer 2 solutions could shift if Layer 1 remains affordable.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin believes developers don’t need to rely heavily on Layer 2 solutions right now. In a recent comment, Buterin stated, “You can just build on L1,” referring to the base layer of the Ethereum blockchain. The reason? Transaction fees on Ethereum Layer 1 have stayed unusually low throughout 2025.
Ethereum has long struggled with high gas fees, which led to the growth of Layer 2 networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base. But with recent network upgrades and lower on-chain activity, Ethereum’s Layer 1 has become more affordable again.
Why Are Ethereum Fees Low in 2025?
There are several reasons why gas fees are low:
- •EIP-4844 (Proto-Danksharding) helped improve efficiency by reducing data costs for rollups.
- •Ethereum’s transition to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) improved scalability.
- •Less on-chain hype has meant fewer spikes in demand.
These factors have made it cheaper to transact and even launch dApps directly on Ethereum Layer 1, without relying on rollups or bridges.
NEW: Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin says "You can just build on L1" as transaction fees remain cheap throughout 2025. pic.twitter.com/hNRwTu0Ipn
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) December 1, 2025
What This Means for Developers and L2s
Vitalik’s statement is both a nod to Ethereum’s improved scalability and a subtle warning for Layer 2 projects. If fees on Layer 1 stay low, some projects may opt to skip the extra complexity of building on Layer 2.
That said, Layer 2 solutions still offer unique advantages, such as even lower costs and higher throughput. But for many developers, Ethereum Layer 1 might be “good enough” again — at least for now.