Vitalik Buterin, one of Ethereum's co-founders, answered the criticism regarding the new institutional focus of blockchain and cryptocurrency projects. Buterin told Joe Weisenthal, co-host of Bloomberg's financial podcast Odd Lots, that crypto culture "idealistic hippies" were still in the space, and that projects in this regard have moved forward quite a bit, citing Lens and Farcaster as examples.

Ethereum Co-founder Vitalik Buterin States 'Idealistic Hippies' Are Still Involved in Crypto

The cryptocurrency space has mutated lately, but some of its original libertarian flame remains. Vitalik Buterin, a co-founder of the smart contracts-enabled cryptocurrency Ethereum, has clarified that these original ideas are still there, even when the spotlight in crypto has shifted to other issues.

Joe Weisenthal, co-host of Bloomberg's financial market podcast Odd Lots, called into attention the changes the cryptocurrency space has experienced in the last five to six years. "Bank then, you still had idealist hippies, talking about things like democracy on the blockchain, or UBIs (Universal Basic Income), or open internet," he stated.

Weisenthal stressed that financial and institutional issues, besides meme coin talk, were now in the cryptocurrency industry spotlight.