At TOKEN2049, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin discussed the maturation of low-risk decentralized finance (DeFi) within the Ethereum ecosystem. He emphasized the transformative potential of zero-knowledge identity (ZKID) in enhancing financial models and privacy. Buterin also noted the blending of blockchain business models and the necessity of some centralization in applications. Additionally, he highlighted the emerging role of artificial intelligence in payment systems and the ongoing evolution of Ethereum's ecosystem.