Ethereum inventor Buterin doesn’t believe in undifferentiated attacks against the EU
- Vitalik Buterin warned against exaggerations on the Internet and described extreme anti-EU narratives as inappropriate and misleading investors.
- He pointed to the EU’s practical digital regulations and made it clear that social media misrepresents stability and market opportunities.
Ethereum inventor Vitalik Buterin responded on growing US criticism of the European Union and warned against exaggerating the representations. He said:
“The attacks on Europe that I have seen here in the last few days, including from people I generally thought were interesting and sophisticated, have gone off the rails.”
He acknowledged that the EU also faces challenges, but criticized the extreme negativity permeating the internet. Vitalik Buterin explained that the prevailing “apocalyptic attitude” on X does not match his own experiences in Europe. He added that discussions on social media distort perceptions of political and regulatory stability.
Among the accounts he follows, some have been strongly critical of European politics. A post by Russian philosopher Alexander Dugin calling for the dissolution of the EU went viral. It has been viewed more than 1.3 million times since Sunday 7 December, showing how quickly and easily anti-EU sentiment can be spread on social media.
Elon Musk and the tensions in the EU
The latest criticism follows the European Commission imposing a €120 million fine on Elon Muska messenger service X for failing to moderate content in accordance with EU regulations despite repeated requests. Elon Musk reacted sharply, describing regulators as “Stasi commissioners who have woken up in the EU” and repeating his call that the European Union should be abolished completely.
Musk’s “criticism” is aimed at the centrist and liberal parties, i.e. the large parties that determine European politics. He continues to support Eurosceptic parties. Critics claim that X’s stance has led to a narrowing of the range of opinions on the platform, contrary to claims that it promotes free expression for all users.
Buterin’s criticism comes despite his opposition to the EU’s Chat Control initiative in September 2025. The plan would require platforms to scan private messages for illegal content, which Buterin and privacy advocates say threatens digital privacy and violates Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter.
Vitalik Buterin points to patchy investor awareness
The legislation is still highly controversial among member states as exemptions have been proposed for military, intelligence and ministerial communications, which critics say are hypocritical. The debate over digital privacy continues to influence EU citizens’ use of decentralized communications technologies.
Vitalik Buterin’s comments underscore how social media narratives can distort European stability and mislead investors about regulatory risks. He also said that Europe has practical rules for tokenization and digital identity and that negativity online can obscure the markets that offer real opportunities.
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