Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin summarized the findings from a network researchers' meeting in Berlin and discussed the main development directions for the project under the Lean Ethereum concept. The focus areas include quantum resistance, privacy, scalability, and restructuring key protocol elements.

https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/2073459000398463446

According to him, this is not just a single update but a series of changes that will be implemented over the next three to four years, marking "the third major iteration of Ethereum" following The Merge.

The new architecture will affect nearly all core components of the protocol. Specifically, the network will:

  • transition to block verification using recursive STARK proofs; replace cryptographic algorithms vulnerable to quantum computers;
  • update the consensus mechanism;
  • implement a multidimensional gas model;
  • redesign the client architecture and the network state storage system.

One of the main changes is the increased emphasis on quantum resistance. Previously, protection against potential quantum computer attacks was viewed as a long-term goal, but it has now become a key development focus. Work on quantum-resistant cryptography and a new BLOB data format will be accelerated.

Another priority will be privacy. Buterin stated that it is no longer considered an additional feature and is now taken into account when designing all new network components—from the mempool to data storage mechanisms. Developers also plan to expand the use of formal verification to enhance protocol security and simplify the verification of its components.

Buterin described the most radical change as the update to the data storage model. Instead of further scaling the existing network state, developers propose to maintain it for complex applications while adding new, more scalable storage types for tokens, NFTs, and most DeFi applications. Buterin estimates that by 2030, Ethereum could support around 2 TB of traditional state and up to 100 TB of the new optimized format simultaneously.

Additionally, the team is considering a gradual transition to a new virtual machine. In the long run, the protocol may move away from direct dependence on the EVM in favor of RISC-V or leanISA architectures, while maintaining compatibility with existing applications through a compilation layer.

Buterin also mentioned that in the coming years, the network will continue to gradually increase the gas limit, the volume of BLOB data, and reduce the time between slots. He stated that each of these changes will be implemented only after developers ensure its safety through client software optimization and protocol updates.

As a reminder, the Ethereum ecosystem has launched an independent non-profit organization, Ethereum Institutional, to promote the network among banks, asset managers, and other financial institutions.