Ethereum Co-Founder Proposes 16.77 Million Gas Cap Per Transaction

Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, has introduced a significant proposal aimed at enhancing the security and stability of the Ethereum network. The proposal, known as Ethereum Improvement Proposal 7983 (EIP-7983), suggests setting a protocol-level gas ceiling of 16.77 million units per transaction. This move is designed to mitigate the network's vulnerability to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks and improve compatibility with emerging technologies like zero-knowledge virtual machines (zkVMs).

Currently, Ethereum's architecture allows a single transaction to consume the entire block gas limit, which can lead to network instability and failed transactions. By enforcing a per-transaction gas limit, EIP-7983 aims to distribute the gas load across multiple transactions, reducing the risk of a single operation jamming the network. The proposed 16.77 million gas ceiling was selected to support even the most demanding smart contract deployments and decentralized finance (DeFi) interactions while discouraging inefficient or potentially malicious activity.

The gas cap is also intended to streamline Ethereum's compatibility with zero-knowledge virtual machines. These next-generation computational models are expected to become a cornerstone of Ethereum scaling and privacy solutions. However, zkVMs currently struggle with processing extremely large transactions due to their architecture, which breaks computations into smaller proofs. By encouraging developers to split gas-intensive transactions into smaller, modular ones, EIP-7983 would make Ethereum more accommodating to zkVMs, potentially accelerating their mainstream adoption.

Despite setting a hard cap, the proposal notes that the vast majority of transactions on the Ethereum network already operate well below the proposed threshold. This means that the change would have minimal impact on day-to-day users and developers. However, transactions that do exceed the cap would be rejected outright during block validation, ensuring the new rule is strictly enforced. The cap itself is distinct from the total block gas limit, a parameter still controlled by validators and miners within the consensus protocol, and is not intended to replace it.

EIP-7983 is part of a broader philosophical shift led by Buterin, who has increasingly advocated for simplifying Ethereum’s base-layer architecture. In a recent blog post, Buterin argued that Ethereum had grown too complex, creating development bottlenecks and security liabilities. Inspired by Bitcoin’s minimalist philosophy, he outlined a vision for restructuring Ethereum across its consensus, execution, and shared components with the goal of creating a leaner and more robust protocol over the next five years.

Buterin’s vision for Ethereum goes beyond transaction mechanics. He has unveiled a host of forward-looking ideas, from partially stateless nodes that could support better scaling to a digital identity framework called "pluralistic identity," designed to balance user privacy with verifiable participation in digital systems. The overarching narrative is clear: Buterin wants to ensure Ethereum remains adaptable and scalable while reducing systemic risks and increasing usability. EIP-7983 is yet another step in that direction, aimed at aligning Ethereum with the future demands of a decentralized internet.

Buterin also emphasized the need for the crypto industry to adopt more practical, user-focused safeguards. Speaking at the Ethereum Community Conference, he outlined a stark reality: decentralization must stop being a marketing slogan and start being a provable user guarantee or face obsolescence. As Ethereum recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary, Buterin’s remarks struck a balance between concern and constructive criticism. He emphasized that the crypto sector stands at an inflection point, where its founding ideals are being tested against the pressures of mass adoption, political endorsement, and increasingly complex technical systems.

Buterin called for a return to Ethereum’s core principles—decentralization, trust minimization, and user sovereignty. He warned that too many projects are building systems that fail the very tests that matter. He then laid out a trio of tests that every crypto project should aim to pass if it wants to be truly decentralized: The Walk-Away Test, The Insider Attack Test, and The Trusted Computing Base Test. These tests aren’t just theoretical metrics; they are practical benchmarks that many layer-2 networks, DeFi apps, and so-called decentralized front-ends secretly rely on central points of failure, including backdoors, upgrade buttons, or weak user interfaces that could be hijacked.

Buterin’s message was clear: maturity isn’t about abandoning ideals—it’s about finally living up to them. With alternative blockchains offering faster speeds, lower fees, and often simpler user experiences, the pressure to evolve is mounting. If Ethereum fails to simplify its design, secure its base layer, and deliver real user protections, it could fade into irrelevance. In a world where governments are crafting crypto regulations, major corporations are jumping into the blockchain space, and digital identity is becoming a battleground, Ethereum’s next moves may define not just its own future, but the future of decentralized tech as a whole.