Vitalik: Hiding Names Is No Longer Enough for Onchain Privacy in the AI Era
On September 23, 2026, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin
@VitalikButerin said at the 12th Global Blockchain Summit that advances in AI and data analysis mean keeping real names separate from transactions is no longer sufficient to protect onchain privacy. He noted that users increasingly want blockchain applications beyond payments, with better performance and functionality. Modern cryptography extends protection from digital assets to information, allowing code to determine not only who can transfer assets but also who can access specific information, making privacy programmable.