Solana Co-Founder Yakovenko: "Without Constant Evolution, the Platform Will Die"

Solana Labs CEO Anatoly Yakovenko has outlined his long-term vision for the blockchain platform in an X post, issuing a clear warning: Solana must continuously evolve and must never become dependent on a single person or group ^[1].

Protocol changes should primarily aim to solve concrete problems for developers and users, according to Yakovenko. "If it ever stops adapting to the needs of its developers and users, it will die," the co-founder warned ^[1].

In doing so, Yakovenko deliberately positions himself in opposition to Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, who recently announced a stronger focus on decentralization, privacy, and self-determination—even if this should limit broader adoption. Buterin stated that Ethereum would no longer make compromises in favor of mainstream adoption ^[1].

While Yakovenko emphasizes practical utility, the different philosophies are also reflected in performance: SOL is currently trading at $142, approximately 35 percent below last year's level. Ethereum stands at $3,320 with a decline of only 4 percent year-over-year ^[1].