Vitalik Buterin has reiterated the importance of maintaining protocol simplicity to enhance trustlessness and decentralization within the Ethereum network. This emphasis comes as significant on-chain movements are observed, including an Ethereum whale transferring $1.8 billion worth of ETH to new wallets, indicating strategic repositioning. Additionally, the supply of Ethereum held on exchanges has plummeted to levels not seen since 2016, suggesting a growing trend towards self-custody among holders. These developments occur amid heightened scrutiny of Ethereum's price and on-chain activities.