From 'Ethereumβs sidekick' to standalone stars: How Vitalik Buterinβs latest pivot is forcing Layer 2s to grow up CoinDesk: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Crypto News and Price Data By: Margaux Nijkerk 4 February 2026 at 16:48 Leaders across the layer-2 space don't see this moment as an existential threat, but rather that Ethereumβs progress is forcing them to clarify their purpose.