Vitalik Buterin Backs Copyleft Licensing to Help Developers Guard Against Big Tech

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin is calling on developers to reconsider how they license open-source software. In a new blog post, he argued that permissive licenses may no longer be enough to protect innovation in a world where tech giants have become increasingly dominant. Instead, he believes more projects should adopt “copyleft” licenses that require any modified version of the code to remain open.

Why Buterin Thinks It Matters

Buterin’s concern is that large platforms are now in a position to quietly absorb useful open-source code and lock the benefits behind closed systems. He acknowledged that permissive licenses like MIT and Apache helped grow the open-source ecosystem in the past, but warned that today’s environment looks very different. Powerful companies are now using he openness that made those licences attractive to build walled gardens around community-built tools.

Vitalik Buterin Backs Copyleft Licensing to Help Developers Guard Against Big Tech — Source: Shutterstock

He pointed to copyleft licenses like the GNU General Public License (GPL) as a way to stop this from happening. These licenses force anyone who builds on the code to share their work under the same terms. The system forces improvements and extensions to remain public, allowing smaller developers to compete and preventing better-funded players from boxing them out.

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Implications for Crypto Projects

This conversation hits close to home for crypto, where open-source principles are supposed to be at the core. Buterin argued that large entities that don’t share the same values will repackage and commercialize decentralized apps and protocols if they lack protective licensing.

Ethereum has long promoted transparency and community ownership, but that ideal can be undermined if big firms build proprietary layers on top of public infrastructure. According to Buterin, copyleft tools can help make sure innovations remain part of a shared commons, not fenced off behind corporate terms of service.

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Real-World Examples

Buterin referenced real examples, like the social protocol Farcaster, which recently made a move toward a stronger license after debates over downstream use. He also noted that companies with commercial agendas are picking up and reshaping open tools in artificial intelligence and decentralized identity, raising similar licensing questions.

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This is not about creating more rules for the sake of it. It’s about defending the spirit of collaboration that open-source communities rely on. Buterin is not saying everyone needs to switch to copyleft overnight. Instead, he wants developers to weigh the risks of permissive licensing in an era where major players are watching closely and moving quickly.

What Happens Next

The rise of Web3, along with the spread of AI and digital infrastructure, is pulling more attention toward how code gets reused and who gets to benefit. As the web’s next phase takes shape, licensing decisions will play a big role in shaping who has control. Buterin’s message is a reminder that the tools developers choose today will determine whether the future stays open or becomes another centralized system in disguise.

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