Ethereum Proposes 50% Block Time Reduction for Faster Transactions

An Ethereum developer has proposed a significant change to the network's block time, suggesting a reduction from 12 seconds to 6 seconds. This proposal, known as Ethereum Improvement Proposal 7782 (EIP-7782), was discussed by core developer Barnabé Monnot on June 21. The aim is to enhance transaction confirmation times and improve the overall user experience by adjusting the timing of various blockchain operations.

The proposal, initially created in October 2024, is slated for inclusion in the Glamsterdam update, scheduled for late 2026. By that time, the network is expected to have undergone substantial scaling, with blocks reaching three times the current gas limit and eight times the blob supply. The primary motivation behind EIP-7782 is to enhance the network’s confirmation service, potentially increasing the economic value captured by the network as a settlement and confirmation layer.

Shorter slot times would result in faster transaction inclusion, leading to a more responsive chain and smoother experiences across wallets, decentralized applications (DApps), and layer-2 networks. This would also make it more difficult for anyone to censor transactions due to the increased frequency of block production. The benefits extend to decentralized finance (DeFi) and trading, with faster price updates on decentralized exchanges and reduced losses due to arbitrage. Trading fees are expected to decrease as markets become more efficient, and liquidity in automated market makers would increase.

However, there are potential tradeoffs. Slower or poorly connected validators may struggle with the tighter timing requirements, and there could be higher bandwidth demands from more frequent consensus messages. Additionally, there is a greater potential for network congestion during peak usage periods. Extensive testing would be required to avoid network instability and ensure that smart contracts remain functional.

EIP-7782 proposes adjustments to three key subslot timings: block proposal time would be reduced from four seconds to three, attestation time from four seconds to 1.5 seconds, and aggregation time from four seconds to 1.5 seconds. These changes would collectively shave six seconds off the overall slot time. Monnot emphasized that while these adjustments would reduce the time available for each duty, the benefits of a 2x reduction in slot time make it a compelling option for Ethereum, worthy of serious consideration for the Glamsterdam update.

The Glamsterdam update, currently in its early design stages, focuses on gas optimizations and protocol-level efficiency improvements. The goal is to make Ethereum faster and cheaper to use, aligning with the broader vision of enhancing the network’s performance and user experience. The proposal aims to improve the network’s confirmation service, potentially increasing the economic value captured by the network as a settlement and confirmation layer. Shorter slot times would result in faster transaction inclusion, leading to a more responsive chain and smoother experiences across wallets, DApps, and layer-2 networks. This would also make it more difficult for anyone to censor transactions due to the increased frequency of block production.