Amid the noise of the crypto market, Ethereum is often criticized for moving too slowly—whether in terms of technological upgrades or token price performance. But a closer look reveals a clear logic behind this "conservatism": prioritizing ensuring the system remains trustworthy even in the worst-case scenarios. Over the past decade, Ethereum has never experienced a network-wide shutdown, which is not accidental but the result of all design decisions serving this purpose.

The trade-off between performance and security is a dialogue between ideals and reality. Maintaining a relatively low barrier for node operation allows ordinary users to verify the network status, which limits throughput but results in true decentralization. Complex protocol design ensures resistance to censorship, meaning development efficiency must give way to security. These choices may seem unambitious, but they form the foundation for the long-term health of the ecosystem.

All parties in the ecosystem claim to be "aligned with Ethereum," which is essentially a mutually beneficial contract—every project built on Ethereum ultimately contributes back to this secure underlying layer. Whether it’s DeFi or other applications, their survival and prosperity depend precisely on Ethereum’s adherence to principles that may seem inefficient.

In an industry that pursues speed and scale, Ethereum’s philosophy may seem somewhat out of place. But it is this persistence that allows it to transcend cycles and carry trillions in value. It never strives to be the fastest chain, only to remain trustworthy even in the most extreme environments. That’s why, beyond all efficiency and innovation, the bottom line of security and decentralization will always come first.