Ethereum Co-Founder Proposes 100x Efficiency Gain With RISC-V Transition
1min read Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a significant overhaul of the system that powers its smart contracts. The proposal, shared on Ethereum's primary developer forum, suggests replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with RISC-V, an open-source framework known for its built-in encryption and other benefits. The EVM has been a cornerstone of Ethereum's success, enabling seamless connectivity with other networks and facilitating the development of layer-2 networks like Coinbase's Base chain.
Buterin argues that transitioning to RISC-V architecture will greatly enhance the efficiency of Ethereum's execution layer, addressing one of the primary scaling bottlenecks. This shift could potentially offer efficiency gains of over 100 times for certain applications, reducing network costs and improving execution layer simplicity. RISC-V's native support for encryption makes it a simpler alternative to the current plan of rebuilding the EVM around zero-knowledge cryptography.
The proposal is part of a broader effort to improve Ethereum's performance and decentralization. The transition to RISC-V would involve compiling languages like Solidity directly to RISC-V rather than EVM bytecode, allowing for the use of custom processors and ensuring backward compatibility with existing EVM contracts. This change would also open the network to a wider range of coding languages, attracting more developers and fostering innovation.
One of the key benefits of switching to RISC-V is the efficient implementation of zero-knowledge (zk) technology. Zk-proofs offer significant improvements in privacy, scalability, and security. However, the EVM is not well-suited to implementing zk technology, leading to the emergence of 'zkEVM' networks that use zk-provers as a middleman. With RISC-V, implementing zk technology becomes significantly easier, allowing the network to improve efficiency by 100 times while also enhancing privacy.
Despite the potential benefits, there are concerns about the transition. High-performance RISC-V hardware is not widely available, which could mean that some validators get priced out. Additionally, there is a concern about performance regression, as the current EVM can use advanced optimizations, while RISC-V is said to be lower-level from that perspective. Buterin's proposal is a long-term thought aimed at improving the efficiency, scalability, and decentralization of the Ethereum network. While the transition may face challenges, it has the potential to position Ethereum at the forefront of key on-chain metrics, competing with newer and trendier Layer 1 blockchains while staying true to the core ethos of the crypto industry.
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