Vitalik Buterin Says Bitcoin Maxis Was Right, Calls for a New ‘Sovereign Web’

Vitalik Buterin said BTC’s maxis were largely right about sovereignty, arguing that today’s Internet is quietly depriving users of their privacy and autonomy.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said on January 10 that Bitcoin maximalists were largely right about digital sovereignty, arguing that today’s internet has drifted toward corporate-controlled systems that quietly dilute user power.

His comments describe sovereignty as more than resistance to governments, but as a struggle to protect privacy, attention and autonomy from profit-oriented online platforms.

From the open web to the sovereign web

Buterin’s comments came in response to a Jan. 1 post from X user Tom Kruise, who predicted that the Internet would split into three parts: an ‘open web’, a heavily policed ​​’fortress web’ and a smaller, encrypted ‘sovereign web’ built on trust.

Buterin said he agreed with about 60% of that view, highlighting what he called a long-overlooked divide between user-controlled systems and what he called “corposlop.”

He described Corposlop as a mix of corporate power, polished branding and behavior that secretly works against users. Examples include flashy social feeds, large-scale data collection, closed platforms that block links to rivals, and repetitive, risk-averse media output. Although these systems seem useful at first glance, he says they are slowly taking away users’ freedom of choice.

The Ethereum developer said early Bitcoin proponents sensed this risk years ago. Their resistance to ICOs, alternative tokens and complex applications was rooted in keeping Bitcoin independent, rather than wrapped in corporate incentives. However, he argued that the mistake lay in relying on onerous borders or state pressure rather than on tools that increase user freedom.

The position fits with Buterin’s recent criticism of major platforms, including a warning last December that X had turned into a magnet for hostility and algorithm-driven outrage. A month earlier, he had raised alarms about the social platform’s country tagging feature, saying even small location leaks could harm vulnerable users.

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What building a sovereign web could look like

Looking ahead, Buterin outlines what he believes should be a priority for a user-centric internet. That includes local-first apps that limit data sharing, social platforms that give people direct control over what they see, and financial tools that avoid taking extreme risks. He also supported open, privacy-focused AI systems that support rather than replace human work.

Zac Williamson, founder of the privacy-focused blockchain Aztec, echoed these views in previous posts, arguing that the attention economy weakened shared understanding and turned users into products. While Williamson warned that changing incentives will bring conflict and compromise, he agreed that cryptography and decentralized systems offer a path forward.

Some community voices remain cautious. Mark Paul wrote that crypto started as an alternative to enterprise technology, but that has often happened mirrored Although he suggested the industry may still be outgrowing that phase.

For Buterin, the challenge now is both cultural and technical, with an eye to developing tools that respect privacy, resist manipulation and give people the space to think and act on their own terms. His closing message was simple: reject systems that exhaust agency and focus on software that puts users back in control