In response to reports of Ethereum community members expressing discontent over the transition from the traditional proof-of-work (PoW) model to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus, Vitalik Buterin, co-creator of Ethereum, has defended the move.

Amanda Cassatt, the founder and CEO of web3 marketing studio Serotonin, took to Twitter to relay sentiments from several Ethereum proponents who voiced concerns about the network's current state. Cassatt emphasized that these sentiments were reflective of broader discussions within the community rather than personal opinions.

Cassatt listed reasons cited by some community members, noting a preference for Ethereum to have remained on the PoW model instead of transitioning to PoS.

In response, Vitalik Buterin intervened in the conversation, highlighting the drawbacks associated with the PoW design, which he argued were not aligned with Ethereum's long-term vision.

Since its inception in July 2015, Ethereum had operated on a PoW consensus mechanism akin to Bitcoin, with miners playing a vital role in network security and ETH issuance. However, in September 2022, Ethereum underwent "The Merge," transitioning to a PoS infrastructure, which replaced miners with stakers in a significant technological overhaul.

The transition sparked division among proponents, with some lamenting a departure from ETH's fundamental ethos. One faction, led by Chinese miner Chandler Guo, even attempted to maintain a version of Ethereum's PoW chain. However, the project faced challenges and struggled to gain traction, with its native cryptocurrency, ETHW, trading below $4 as of April 26, according to CoinMarketCap.

Conversely, Ethereum's main PoS chain has witnessed a surge in validator numbers and staking demand. Reports from Crypto.news in February indicated that over 25% of circulating ETH has been locked up to secure the network and generate yields for participants.

Vitalik Buterin has also proposed various measures to further decentralize staking and streamline Ethereum's PoS model, aiming to enhance the network's efficiency and resilience.