Vitalik Buterin, the highly-respected creator of Ethereum, has unveiled a comprehensive plan that aims to enhance the decentralization and permissionlessness of the network. During an Ethereum developer interop event in Kenya, Buterin outlined various upcoming improvements such as PeerDAS, the Verkle tree transition, and decentralized historical data storage under EIP 4444. These developments are expected to improve the experience for node operators, as well as L1 and L2 users.
Buterin began his discourse by discussing the recent technical advancements within the Ethereum ecosystem. He addressed concerns raised by Geth core developer Peter Szilagyi regarding the project’s current direction, but Buterin believes the situation is not as dire as suggested. Instead, he proposed realistic adjustments to the roadmap to tackle these issues.
One of the key issues highlighted by Buterin is the problem of Miner Extractable Value (MEV). In the past, Ethereum blocks were generated by miners using simple algorithms. However, the introduction of complex strategies that exploit transaction ordering has diminished the fairness of block production. To address this concern, Ethereum has explored solutions such as encrypted mempools to minimize MEV, as well as an auction protocol called proposer/builder separation (PBS) to quarantine MEV by separating block proposers from transaction selectors.
Buterin also suggests using inclusion lists to further reduce the power of builders in MEV scenarios. These lists would ensure that certain transactions must be included in blocks, preventing the strategic exclusion of transactions. He envisions a scenario where builders have limited influence while still maintaining their functionality.
The next aspect of Buterin’s plan focuses on the challenges and future of Ethereum staking. Despite the availability of staking solutions from entities like Lido and RocketPool, the majority of Ethereum staking is not done solo due to the 32 ETH minimum requirement and associated technical challenges. Buterin aims to foster a stronger solo staking ecosystem, which he believes is crucial for maintaining Ethereum’s decentralization. He proposes initiatives like the implementation of Verkle trees and EIP-4444 to reduce the technical and financial barriers to solo staking.
Buterin also emphasizes the importance of accessible node operation within the Ethereum network. The goal is to enable nodes to run on minimal hardware, potentially as low as a smartphone, through advancements like Type 1 ZK-EVMs that allow users to verify blockchain operations without the heavy computation of EVM. This vision, known as “The Verge,” aims to decentralize the responsibility of maintaining the state and providing proofs away from centralized actors.
Despite these advancements, Buterin remains cautious about the risks of centralization due to dependence on a limited number of data providers. He advocates for the storage of historical blockchain data within a decentralized peer-to-peer network, reducing reliance on major actors like exchanges and block explorers.
