Vitalik Claims ETH Should Not Depend on Meme Token Funds: ETH Price Forecast for October 2025

ETH has experienced a wide range of events, from the ICO surge of 2017 to the NFT and DeFi boom seen in 2021. However, one constant in every cycle is the transaction fees. Unlike Solana or Base, ETH lacks scalability, making users vulnerable to fluctuations in gas fees. These fee adjustments can be indicators of crypto holder sentiment, which plays a role in ETH price forecast models, but it is essential that the factors influencing these fee variations are sustainable and authentic.

In a blog article dated September 21, Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, conveyed a stark warning to crypto enthusiasts and traders in search of the next significant opportunity. He believes that for Ethereum’s continued existence, the blockchain should not rely on the transient excitement of meme coins. This serves as a critique of rival platforms, particularly Solana, which thrives on meme crypto token activity. As of September 22, data from Coingecko indicates that Solana meme coins have a total crypto market value exceeding $10.5 billion.

(Source: Coingecko)

While Buterin expresses doubt regarding meme coins, several leading meme coins initially emerged on ETH, and some have successfully raised millions to facilitate the scaling of the mainnet. Shiba Inu, for instance, operates a Shibarium Layer-2 for ETH, and SHIB USD remains one of the prominent Ethereum meme coins.

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Vitalik Buterin: Ethereum Can’t Depend on Meme Coins for Expansion

Meme coins aren’t inherently negative for the crypto space. In fact, one could argue they provide the sole opportunity for retail investors to capitalize on the crypto surge now that high-profile DeFi projects have largely been taken over by venture capital. Notably, one analyst anticipates that the total meme crypto token market could surpass $1 trillion by the decade’s end.

Nevertheless, Buterin believes that an excessive dependence on speculative trends such as meme coins, or even NFTs, alongside high-risk DeFi schemes that promise significant returns, poses a threat to Ethereum as a platform.

The Ethereum co-founder asserts that the surges of meme coins or the influx of high-risk Decentralized finance protocols are essentially “temporary” as they rely on “recursive forces” driven by hype. He points out that within these dapps, most incentive seekers value Ethereum primarily “because individuals use the ETH live network for transactions and leverage trading of Ethereum.”

Buterin emphasizes that “it’s quite disingenuous to claim excitement about the ecosystem if its primary application revolves around political memecoins.”

To showcase the risk, he refers to the 2021 land sale of the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), which, despite generating significant gas fees, was poorly structured, resulting in a wrecked of $180 million due to gas inefficiencies. In Buterin’s eyes, the BAYC situation exemplifies how speculative excitement leads to squander rather than the innovation that Ethereum desperately requires to progress.

As NFTs waned in interest, the emergence of meme coins introduces fresh challenges for ETH and its investors. The surge of viral meme coins on the Ethereum mainnet can cause transaction cost spikes. At the same time, investors may fall prey to scams or rug pulls. Over time, retail investors have faced losses amounting to hundreds of millions, if not billions.

Alternatively, Buterin posits that developers should focus on building the right solutions, avoiding “political meme coins,” as the first automated agreement could attain its Google “search moment.” Though not thrilling, low-risk DeFi protocols might attract trillions to ETH while reliably generating consistent fees for network node operators.

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ETH Price Forecast: Will ETH USD Exceed $5,000 if There’s a Shift?

In anticipation of worldwide adoption, ETH has been enhancing its scalability. The early 2024 Dencun upgrade significantly reduced Layer-2 transaction fees, making trading on trending Layer-2s like Base and Arbitrum extremely affordable. Currently, all Ethereum Layer-2s hold assets worth over $55 billion.

(Source: L2Beat)

Additionally, the evolving regulatory landscape in the United States might clarify the stablecoin surge occurring on ETH and other platforms. The introduction of the GENIUS Act has established clear compliance guidelines for stablecoin issuers prior to launching their tokens.

As of September 22, the overall stablecoin market has surpassed $297 billion. Algorithmic stablecoins like USDS on ETH are also gaining essential traction.

(Source: Coingecko)

If Ethereum shifts its focus and establishes a stable revenue stream where the protocol derives most of its fees from the low-risk Decentralized finance protocols that the co-founder supports, Ethereum ▼-6.34% could see further gains.

At the time of writing, ETH USD is experiencing price swings after dropping below $4,200. Buyers need to step in to prevent further losses incurred earlier today, confirming the upward trend initiated from early July. A close above $4,800 could position Ethereum towards reaching $5,000 in the upcoming sessions.

On social media, one analyst believes the ETH USD upward trend is intact. He notes that the second most valuable cryptocurrency is on the brink of a optimistic upward movement, as shown in the weekly chart. If Ethereum maintains its position above $4,000, Ethereum USDT could potentially soar to $12,000.

#ETH #Ethereum

Don’t panic.

It’s just a retest. pic.twitter.com/7WFNStdJ0j

— 𝕮𝖗𝖞𝖕𝖙𝖔𝕹𝕭 (@Crypto_N_B) September 22, 2025

 

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The article Vitalik Asserts Ethereum Cannot Depend on Meme Coin Funds: ETH Price Forecast for October 2025 first appeared on 99Bitcoins.