Ethereum's increasing node hardware requirements could contribute to further centralization. As demands for storage, memory, and processing power grow—especially with scaling solutions like sharding—only well-resourced entities may afford to run full nodes. This risks reducing the number of independent nodes, concentrating control among fewer operators, such as large staking pools or institutional players. However, efforts like stateless clients and light nodes aim to mitigate this by lowering barriers for participation. Decentralized storage solutions and community-driven initiatives could also counteract centralization pressures. While the risk exists, Ethereum's roadmap and active development suggest a focus on balancing scalability with decentralization, though the outcome depends on execution and adoption.