Vitalik Buterin: Copyleft License Should Be Crypto’s New Standard! Innovation or Threat?

Jakarta, Pintu News – Ethereum (ETH) founder Vitalik Buterin has once again shaken up the cryptocurrency world with his latest statement encouraging the crypto industry to adopt more “copyleft” licenses in software development. In a recent blog, Buterin expressed his concern that the crypto world is moving away from the collaborative spirit and openness that once characterized it. He asserted that the use of copyleft licenses could be a solution so that the results of crypto innovation can still be widely enjoyed and not locked in the hands of a few parties.

According to Buterin, copyleft is an open-source licensing approach that requires anyone who modifies or develops the original code to also make their work public. This differs from the more liberal permissive license, as copyleft actively encourages knowledge exchange and co-innovation.

Buterin’s Change of Stance: From Permissive License to Copyleft

Vitalik Buterin admits that he used to prefer a permissive licensing model that gave him freedom without many rules. However, as the climate of the crypto industry changes and becomes more competitive and individualistic, he began to see the importance of the copyleft approach. Buterin argues that open-source is now mainstream, so “encouraging” companies or developers to share code is no longer impossible.

Buterin also highlighted that copyleft licenses can feel restrictive, especially if the code is not publicly disseminated but must be kept open. However, he believes that the incentives and “legal force” of copyleft licenses are necessary for industry players to maintain the spirit of sharing that is the foundation of the crypto world.

Also Read: XRP price surges but corrects, can bulls take over again?

Collaboration, Innovation, and the Challenges of the Crypto World

In today’s crypto world, Buterin believes that competition is fierce, and more and more actors are reluctant to share their work for personal gain. He emphasizes that voluntary code sharing is no longer enough; there must be legally enforced reciprocity through copyleft licenses.

According to Buterin, copyleft would create a huge “pool of code” that everyone could only use and build upon if they were willing to participate in opening up their source code. This would ensure that innovations born out of the crypto community can remain a common property, rather than just a handful of parties taking advantage without contributing back.

Copyleft and the Future of Crypto: Opportunities and Risks

Vitalik Buterin thinks that the benefits of copyleft licenses are greater now than 10-15 years ago, both for large companies and for the crypto community itself. He has also received support from a number of industry figures, although some have highlighted that there are still “edge cases” or certain situations where copyleft can be a hindrance.

Copyleft licenses are valuable in an era where open-source has become a necessity, not just an ideal. With more and more crypto industry players starting to close access to their work, a push from a figure like Buterin could be a new momentum to revive the spirit of openness and collaboration in the crypto ecosystem.

Conclusion

Vitalik Buterin’s call for crypto to adopt copyleft licenses could be an important turning point in maintaining openness and innovation. This decision may be challenging for some industry players, but it will ultimately determine the future direction of crypto-whether it remains a collaborative space, or becomes increasingly fragmented by individual interests.

Also Read: Bonk Crypto Surges: Is the Next Target Beyond $0.000025?

That’s the latest information about crypto. Follow us on Google News for the latest crypto and blockchain technology updates. Enjoy an easy and secure crypto trading experience by downloading Pintu crypto app via Google Play Store or App Store now.

Experience web trading with advanced trading tools such as pro charting, various order types, and portfolio tracker only at Pintu Pro. Pintu Pro Futures is also available, where you can buy bitcoin leverage, trade btc futures, eth futures and sol futures easily from your desktop!

*Disclaimer

This content aims to enrich readers’ information. Pintu collects this information from various relevant sources and is not influenced by outside parties. Note that an asset’s past performance does not determine its projected future performance. Crypto trading activities are subject to high risk and volatility, always do your own research and use cold hard cash before investing. All activities of buying andselling Bitcoin and other crypto asset investments are the responsibility of the reader.

Reference:

• Cointelegraph. Vitalik Buterin advocates ‘copyleft’ licenses for crypto. Accessed July 9, 2025.