The Ethereum network continues to solidify its position with nearly 30% of ETH supply now locked in staking, reflecting growing confidence in the protocol's future. Yet amid this milestone, there's an important conversation brewing in the developer community. Vitalik Buterin has been vocal about a critical gap: the real test isn't how much ETH gets staked—it's whether developers are actually building applications that people want to use. The distinction matters. A thriving ecosystem needs more than capital deployment; it needs products solving real problems. As the network matures, the focus is shifting from infrastructure debates to practical utility. The question becomes clear: will the next wave of apps capture genuine user adoption, or will we see another cycle where speculation outpaces substance?