Odaily Planet Daily reported live from the TOKEN2049 main stage where Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin gave a keynote speech. He shared that he was very excited when he first learned about Bitcoin in early 2014, calling it the "next payment network." He also witnessed Bitcoin-themed restaurants and Argentinians using Bitcoin to pay for coffee. However, at the time, these payments didn't truly utilize decentralized technology, relying on centralized third-party payment systems.

"The real barrier to decentralized payments was high fees and low efficiency. Back then, using Bitcoin for real-world consumption required a $4 fee and a 5-minute wait. By 2024, Ethereum L2 has achieved near-zero gas fees. This made me realize that Crypto today is no longer an efficiency-driven technology, but rather Digital Concrete, a more stable foundation for building an electronic 'Laputa.' This 'Laputa' can be a solid fortress for people to shelter their families or a place for friends to enjoy themselves. This is the ideal form of crypto in my eyes, combining seriousness and fun," Vitalik Buterin explained, singing a snippet of the Japanese version of the theme song from the Studio Ghibli film "Laputa: Castle in the Sky."