Vitalik Proposes FOCIL to Curb Censorship as Risks Divide Ethereum

- Vitalik Buterin unveils Fork-Choice Enforced Inclusion Lists (FOCIL) to tackle centralization and ensure censorship resistance. - Critics voice concerns about legal exposure and operational challenges, highlighting a rift in the Ethereum community. On August 23, 2025, Cryptopolitan reported that Vitalik Buterin has proposed a solution to the centralization risks threatening Ethereum’s neutrality: Fork-Choice Enforced Inclusion Lists (FOCIL). Formally known as EIP-7805, the proposal aims to uphold Ethereum's "dumb pipe" property, which ensures equitable transaction processing. The system works by redistributing block-building duties across 17 proposers per slot, thereby deterring individual block builders from censoring transactions. The FOCIL mechanism requires one proposer to set transaction ordering, while the remaining 16 attestors ensure that no transactions are excluded. Buterin emphasizes the need to address these centralization risks, noting that two groups currently control a substantial majority of Ethereum’s blocks. He argues this dominance amplifies the platform's vulnerability to censorship and disrupts its processing neutrality. However, the proposal has sparked sharp criticism from prominent voices in the crypto space. Ameen Soleimani, co-founder of Reflexer Labs, labeled FOCIL a "big problem," arguing that Ethereum’s current permissionless staking system already addresses censorship resistance effectively. He points out that validators can exclude sanctioned transactions while adhering to local laws, which suggests the issue is less severe than portrayed. Furthermore, Soleimani warned that FOCIL might expose validators and developers to legal consequences because the system would compel them to include transactions from sanctioned addresses. He cited the Tornado Cash prosecutions as a cautionary example of such risks. In contrast, crypto attorney Gabriel Shapiro hinted that FOCIL "might be worth the risk," although he has not fully elaborated on his position. The proposal underscores an ongoing debate within the Ethereum community, which centers on balancing censorship resistance at the protocol level with navigating complex legal and operational uncertainties. Amid this debate, Ethereum’s market performance remains notable. According to Cryptopolitan, Ethereum (ETH) was trading at $4,725.96 as of August 23 at 15:09 UTC, reflecting a 1.72% increase in 24-hour trading volume. These figures underline Ethereum’s enduring significance in the cryptocurrency landscape, even as its community grapples with pivotal governance challenges.