Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has projected that by 2026, Ethereum will restore its autonomy and trustlessness, prioritizing its core values over mainstream adoption. Buterin highlighted challenges faced over the past decade, including increased difficulty in running nodes, severe DApp data breaches, and a shift from local RPC to third-party data, which has compromised privacy. He also noted the centralization of block building, which has affected transaction inclusivity, as key issues to address in rebuilding a decentralized ecosystem.