Buterin calls 2026 the year to reclaim self-sovereign computing

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has pinpointed 2026 as the critical inflection point for the digital world, marking the year when individuals can finally reclaim ‘self-sovereign computing.’ This vision emphasizes shifting control of data, identity, and computation away from centralized tech giants and back into the hands of the end user.

Buterin argues that while the foundation of Web3 promises decentralization, the current infrastructure still suffers from reliance on centralized cloud providers and proprietary services, creating privacy vulnerabilities and single points of failure. Reclaiming sovereignty requires decoupling core digital functions from these legacy intermediaries.

The timeline of 2026 is based on the anticipated maturity of several key technologies, particularly Layer 2 scaling solutions and advanced cryptography. Central to this transition is the widespread deployment of Zero-Knowledge proofs (ZK technology). ZK-proofs allow users to verify the correctness of computations—such as transaction execution or identity authentication—without revealing the underlying private data. This fundamental shift ensures that trust is based on verifiable mathematical security rather than requiring faith in a central authority.

By 2026, Buterin expects ZK-EVMs (Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines) and other fully decentralized rollups to have achieved necessary security audits, performance optimization, and general market adoption. This maturation should make the cost and complexity of running personal, self-sovereign systems low enough for mass consumer use. Applications such as decentralized identity (DID), verifiable credentials, and private social networks would then operate autonomously, secured locally on user devices and verified trustlessly on decentralized networks.

Buterin’s statement acts as a roadmap and a challenge to developers, urging them to prioritize robust, privacy-preserving infrastructure that truly empowers the individual. If successful, 2026 will signify the pivotal transition where Web3 fulfills its promise of delivering a digital life secured by cryptography and governed by the user.

Source: Buterin calls 2026 the year to reclaim self-sovereign computing