Buterin warns institutional funds could undermine Ethereum's values

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has expressed concern that an influx of institutional investors like BlackRock could undermine the network's core values, DL News reported. Speaking at the Devconnect conference in Buenos Aires, Buterin outlined two primary threats from institutional influence. First, he warned of a potential exodus of the core community, suggesting that if Ethereum becomes merely a tool for institutional investors, the builders who developed its infrastructure might leave. Second, he raised the risk of a collapse in decentralization, projecting that if the underlying technology is tailored to institutional needs, it could become virtually impossible for regular users and decentralized node operators to participate. To prevent this, Buterin stated that the focus must be on developing protocols that are global, permissionless, and censorship-resistant. He added that a strong community dedicated to Ethereum's core principles is also essential.