As concerns over high transaction costs once dominated conversations around Ethereum, that narrative is quietly changing. In 2025, transaction fees on Ethereum’s main network have remained historically low, prompting renewed confidence from builders, and a clear message from ecosystem leaders. Has emphasised that developers can once again “build on L1,” challenging the long-held assumption that meaningful innovation must move exclusively to Layer 2 solutions.
For years, Ethereum’s scalability debate revolved around congestion and rising gas fees, which priced out many users and developers. High costs pushed activity toward Layer 2 networks, rollups, and alternative blockchains, leaving Ethereum’s base layer perceived as too expensive for everyday use. However, a combination of protocol upgrades, improved fee dynamics, and shifting on-chain activity has altered that reality.
At the centre of this shift is Ethereum’s evolving architecture. Upgrades following the Merge and subsequent improvements to fee markets and data availability have eased congestion, making transactions cheaper and more predictable. The result is an L1 environment that, at least for now, offers sufficient affordability without sacrificing security or decentralisation, the core properties Ethereum was designed to protect.
Buterin’s statement is significant not because it dismisses Layer 2 networks, but because it reframes Ethereum’s strategy. Layer 2s remain essential for scaling, but low fees on the base layer mean developers now have a real choice. Builders working on decentralised applications, on-chain governance tools, NFTs, identity systems, and experimental protocols can deploy directly on L1 without the friction of bridging assets or managing fragmented liquidity across networks.
This matters particularly for developers in emerging markets, including Africa and other regions where cost sensitivity is high. When base-layer fees are affordable, entry barriers drop. More users can interact directly with smart contracts, and builders can design simpler user experiences without relying heavily on external scaling layers. For early-stage projects, that simplicity can be the difference between adoption and abandonment.
Low fees also restore Ethereum’s role as a shared settlement layer, a place where applications coexist, composability thrives, and innovation compounds. When everything lives on L1, smart contracts can seamlessly interact, enabling faster experimentation and reducing the complexity that comes with multi-layer deployments.
Importantly, this shift does not signal a rollback of Ethereum’s long-term roadmap. Ethereum remains firmly committed to rollups and modular scaling. Instead, 2025 represents a rare equilibrium point: a network secure and decentralised enough for high-value activity, yet affordable enough for everyday building. In short, Ethereum is functioning the way it was always intended to: a powerful, neutral infrastructure accessible to anyone.
For developers who once wrote off Ethereum’s base layer as unusable, Buterin’s message is clear: conditions have changed. Low transaction fees are not just a technical improvement; they are a strategic reset. Ethereum L1 is open again for experimentation, and builders who return early may find themselves shaping the next wave of on-chain innovation.
Read also: MEXC launches global P2P push to expand stablecoin access across Africa
