Ethereum Co-Founder Proposes Simplification Plan to Rival Bitcoin

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a vision to simplify the Ethereum network, aiming to make it as efficient, secure, and accessible as Bitcoin. In a blog post published on May 3, Buterin outlined a plan to restructure Ethereum’s architecture across its consensus, execution, and shared components over the next five years. He emphasized that simplicity is crucial for Ethereum’s resilience and long-term scalability.

Buterin highlighted that while recent upgrades such as proof-of-stake (PoS) and Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge (zk-SNARK) integration have enhanced Ethereum’s robustness, the increased technical complexity has led to longer development cycles, higher costs, and greater risks of bugs. He acknowledged that past decisions, including his own, have contributed to these issues, often in pursuit of benefits that have proven illusory.

One of the key areas of focus in Buterin’s proposal is Ethereum’s consensus layer. He introduced the concept of “3-slot finality,” which aims to eliminate complex components like epochs, sync committees, and validator shuffling. This model would reduce the number of active validators at any given time, making it safer to use simpler implementations of the fork choice rule. Additionally, Buterin proposed adopting Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge (STARK)-based aggregation protocols to decentralize and simplify network coordination.

On the execution layer, Buterin suggested shifting from the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to a simpler, ZK-friendly virtual machine like RISC-V. This move could offer significant performance improvements for zero-knowledge proofs and simplify the protocol. RISC-V, an open-source instruction set architecture, follows a minimalist design philosophy, using a small set of simple instructions for high efficiency and easier implementation. To ensure backward compatibility, Buterin proposed running legacy EVM contracts onchain via a RISC-V interpreter while supporting both VMs concurrently during a transitional phase.

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Buterin also called for protocol-wide standardization, suggesting the adoption of a single erasure coding method, serialization format (favoring SSZ), and tree structure. This would reduce redundant complexity and streamline Ethereum’s tooling and infrastructure. He compared simplicity to decentralization, advocating for a “max line-of-code” target to keep consensus-critical logic as lean and auditable as possible. Non-critical legacy features would remain but reside outside the core specification.

Buterin’s proposal to simplify Ethereum comes at a time when the network is facing increased competition from other blockchains. During a panel discussion, Alex Svanevik, CEO of a data service, noted that Ethereum’s relative dominance among Layer 1 blockchain networks has declined in recent years. This shift underscores the need for Ethereum to enhance its efficiency and accessibility to maintain its competitive edge.