During a March 20, 2019 interview on the Unchained Podcast, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin humorously remarked that if TRON were to surpass Ethereum, he would "lose a certain amount of hope" for humanity. Buterin clarified that his reaction would depend on the technical competence of the rival chain, expressing respect for a technically superior competitor. His comments elicited laughter from the audience, highlighting the competitive yet light-hearted nature of the blockchain space.