The vision of Web3—a decentralized internet where users control their data, identity, and digital assets—has long been a driving force behind blockchain innovation. Yet, despite significant progress, major hurdles remain. Illia Polosukhin, co-founder of the NEAR Protocol, has pointed out fundamental shortcomings in Ethereum’s current development path that could hinder the mass adoption of Web3.
“We need simplicity. We need a clear roadmap. We need a composability model that feels natural to applications. I don’t see Ethereum’s current trajectory addressing any of these goals,” Polosukhin told Cointelegraph.
While Ethereum remains the dominant smart contract platform, Polosukhin argues that its focus fails to align with the core requirements for scaling Web3 to billions of users. Instead, he envisions a new internet paradigm where users retain full ownership over their digital lives—not just data, but identities, assets, and interactions across platforms.
A User-Centric Vision for Web3
At the heart of Polosukhin’s vision is user sovereignty. He believes the future of the internet should empower individuals to control their own funds, personal information, and digital assets without relying on centralized intermediaries.
“Our goal is to give users control over their data. They should own their assets and manage their interactions across platforms. This means we don’t need one monolithic platform that does everything—instead, we enable seamless integration across many,” Polosukhin explained.
This approach shifts the focus from building all-in-one ecosystems to fostering interoperability and composability. In this model, applications aren’t isolated silos but interconnected services that can securely share logic and state—similar to how APIs work today, but without central points of failure.
For true decentralization and scalability to coexist, Polosukhin emphasizes that blockchain infrastructure must evolve beyond current limitations.
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The Scalability-Composability Trade-Off in Ethereum’s Roadmap
One of the most pressing challenges in blockchain development is balancing scalability with composability—the ability for different applications and protocols to interact seamlessly.
Ethereum’s current strategy relies heavily on Layer 2 (L2) solutions like rollups to improve transaction throughput. While effective in increasing speed and reducing fees, Polosukhin warns that this approach introduces fragmentation.
“Rollups naturally lead to reduced composability. They create isolated sub-environments where things happen separately. You lose the unified state that makes Ethereum powerful in the first place,” he said.
This fragmentation means that a DeFi protocol on one rollup may not easily interact with an NFT marketplace on another, unless complex bridging mechanisms are introduced—each bringing new security risks and user experience hurdles.
In contrast, NEAR Protocol tackles scalability at the Layer 1 level using sharding, a technique that splits the network into parallel chains (or shards) that process transactions simultaneously. Crucially, NEAR maintains cross-shard composability, allowing applications on different shards to interact as if they were on the same chain.
This architectural advantage ensures that as the network scales, it doesn’t sacrifice the seamless integration that developers and users rely on.
Bridging Ecosystems: The Role of Rainbow Bridge
Interoperability isn’t just about scaling—it’s also about connecting existing ecosystems. NEAR addresses this through the Rainbow Bridge, a trustless protocol that enables bidirectional asset transfers between Ethereum and NEAR.
This bridge allows ETH and ERC-20 tokens to move freely into the NEAR ecosystem, giving users access to faster, lower-cost transactions while maintaining compatibility with Ethereum’s vast developer base and liquidity.
For developers, this means they can build on NEAR while still serving users who hold assets on Ethereum. It’s a pragmatic approach to adoption: instead of asking users to abandon Ethereum, NEAR integrates with it while offering superior performance.
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Developer Experience: A Key Driver of Adoption
Another critical factor in Web3’s growth is developer accessibility. NEAR has gained traction by supporting widely used programming languages like Rust and JavaScript, lowering the barrier for traditional software engineers to enter the blockchain space.
Unlike Ethereum, where developers must learn Solidity—a language specific to smart contracts—NEAR allows engineers to use familiar tools and frameworks. This reduces onboarding time and encourages broader participation in decentralized application (dApp) development.
In 2021, NEAR emerged as one of the fastest-growing developer communities in the blockchain space, driven by its focus on usability, performance, and real-world utility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the main limitation of Ethereum’s current development?
A: According to Illia Polosukhin, Ethereum’s focus on Layer 2 solutions like rollups sacrifices composability by creating fragmented environments. This makes it harder for dApps across different rollups to interact seamlessly.
Q: How does NEAR Protocol achieve scalability?
A: NEAR uses sharding at Layer 1 to scale horizontally, processing transactions across multiple shards in parallel while maintaining cross-shard composability—ensuring performance improves without losing integration capabilities.
Q: What is the Rainbow Bridge?
A: The Rainbow Bridge is a trustless protocol that enables users to transfer assets like ETH and ERC-20 tokens between Ethereum and NEAR, combining Ethereum’s security with NEAR’s speed and low fees.
Q: Why is composability important in Web3?
A: Composability allows dApps to integrate and build on each other like digital LEGO blocks. It enables innovations such as flash loans and automated yield strategies, which rely on real-time interaction between protocols.
Q: Can developers use familiar languages on NEAR?
A: Yes. NEAR supports Rust and JavaScript (via AssemblyScript), making it easier for traditional developers to build decentralized applications without learning niche blockchain-specific languages.
Q: Is NEAR replacing Ethereum?
A: No. NEAR aims to complement Ethereum by offering a scalable, user-friendly alternative for dApp development while maintaining interoperability through bridges like Rainbow Bridge.
The path to a fully realized Web3 requires more than just technological upgrades—it demands a rethinking of how users interact with digital systems. As Polosukhin emphasizes, simplicity, ownership, and seamless integration must be foundational. While Ethereum laid the groundwork for smart contracts and decentralized applications, emerging platforms like NEAR are pushing forward with architectures designed for mass adoption. The future of the internet may not be built on a single chain, but on a connected ecosystem where user control and developer flexibility come first.