Vitalik Buterin Shares New Crypto Security Framework Focused on Human Intent

Highlights:

• Vitalik Buterin introduces a new crypto security framework centered on human intent and redundancy. 
• He calls for layered safeguards like multisig, simulations, and spending limits to reduce risks.  
• Buterin’s $3.67 million Ether sale adds fresh pressure as price hits $1,844.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has shared a new framework for crypto security. His idea focuses on redundancy and human-centered design. He explained that security should not be treated separately from user experience. Instead, both must be seen as part of the same challenge. The aim is to reduce the gap between what users want to do and how systems respond.

Moving forward, Buterin stressed that “perfect security” is not possible. He said this is not only due to technical flaws but also because user intent is complex and hard to define. For that reason, systems should be built to capture intent in overlapping ways. This design would lower the risk of misalignment between actions and outcomes.

How I think about "security":

The goal is to minimize the divergence between the user's intent, and the actual behavior of the system.

"User experience" can also be defined in this way. Thus, "user experience" and "security" are thus not separate fields. However, "security"…

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) February 22, 2026

Vitalik Buterin Explains Limits of Crypto Security

Vitalik Buterin has expanded his thoughts on crypto security with new examples. He explained that even simple actions, like sending 1 ETH to “Bob,” involve layers of risk. Bob must be represented by a public key or address, which opens the door to impersonation or key compromise. Disputes over which blockchain fork represents the “real” ETH add more complications.

Moving further, Buterin noted that privacy goals are even harder to secure. Encrypting messages may not be enough if metadata reveals sensitive communication patterns. He pointed out that deciding what counts as a trivial versus a catastrophic privacy loss is subjective and depends on context.

Buterin Focuses on Redundancy for Safer Crypto

Vitalik Buterin said lowering risk in crypto depends on redundancy from different angles. He pointed to several practical examples to explain his idea. In programming, he mentioned type systems and formal verification, which help catch mistakes before software goes live.

In crypto, he referred to tools like transaction simulations, multisignature wallets, spending limits, and social recovery features. All of these work in different ways, but they share the same purpose. When protection comes from multiple directions instead of just one layer, the overall risk drops significantly.

He also said artificial intelligence tools can help guess what a user wants to do. Still, they should never have full control. One system alone should not decide everything. His main point is clear. Security should not make everything difficult. Simple, low-risk actions should stay easy. Bigger, high-risk moves should require stronger checks. This view places human intent at the center of design.

Adding to the overall market pressure,  the co-founder of Ethereum has transferred 1,869 Ether, valued at 3.67 million dollars, over the past two days. This comes after a 3,500 Ether transaction on the Aave protocol, as per data provided by the blockchain tracker Lookonchain. This increase in the supply of Ether has come into a market that is already experiencing pressure. Ether has depreciated by almost 3% in the past 48 hours.

vitalik.eth(@VitalikButerin) is selling $ETH faster again.

In the past 2 days, he has sold 1,869 $ETH($3.67M). During that time, $ETH fell from $1,988 to $1,875, down 5.7%.

Last time he sold 6,958 $ETH($14.78M), $ETH dropped from $2,360 to $1,825 — a 22.7% fall.… pic.twitter.com/v2x6Q3ZTme

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) February 23, 2026