Vitalik Buterin calls for new ‘sovereign web’, says Bitcoin Maxis was right.

Vitalik Buterin argues that BTC Maxis is mostly right about sovereignty, arguing that today's Internet silences users' privacy and autonomy.

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin said on Jan. 10 that Bitcoin maximalists are mostly right about digital sovereignty, arguing that today's Internet is rife with systems of corporate control that quietly undermine user power.

His comments go beyond a challenge to sovereignty over governments, but rather as a struggle to protect privacy, focus and autonomy from profit-driven online platforms.

From the open web to the sovereign web

Buterin's comments were in response to a Jan. 1 post by X user Tom Cruise about the Internet being divided into three parts: the “open web,” the heavily controlled “fortified web,” and the small, encrypted “sovereign web” that relies on trust.

Buterin said he agreed with 60 percent of the estimate, highlighting what he called a long-overlooked divide between user-controlled systems and what he labeled “CorpoSlope.”

Corpuslope describes it as a mix of corporate power, polished branding and a feature that works quietly on consumers. Examples include attention-grabbing social feeds, massive data collection, closed forums that prevent interactions with competitors, and media effects that prevent repeated risk. According to him, while these systems may seem helpful on the surface, they are slowly ripping off users.

The developer of Ethereum said that early Bitcoin proponents recognized this risk years ago. The opposition to ICOs, alternative tokens, and complex applications is rooted in keeping Bitcoin independent rather than wrapped up in corporate incentives. However, he argues that where they go wrong is in relying on heavy restrictions or government pressure rather than tools that expand user freedom.

His stance is in line with Buterin's recent criticisms in mainstream forums, including a warning in December last year that X had become a magnet for hostility and algorithm-driven anger. Then a month ago, it raised alarms about the social platform's country-specific feature, saying that even small location leaks could harm vulnerable users.

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What it might look like to build a sovereign web.

Looking ahead, Buterin outlines what he believes should be a priority in a user-first Internet. That includes location-first apps that limit data sharing, social platforms that give people direct control over what they see, and financial tools that avoid taking too much risk. It also advocated open and privacy-focused AI systems that support rather than replace human work.

Zach Williamson, founder of privacy-focused blockchain firm Aztec, has echoed those sentiments in previous posts, arguing that the attention economy has weakened collective consciousness and turned users into commodities. While Williamson warns that changing incentives involves friction and trade, he agrees that cryptography and decentralized systems offer a way forward.

Some community voices remain cautious. Mark Paul writes that crypto began as an alternative to corporate-heavy technology, but it has often mirrored it.

For Buterin, the current challenge is as much a technical one as one that respects privacy, resists fraud and aims to give people the space to think and act on their own terms. His closing message was simple: reject systems that sap agency and implement software that puts users back in control.