Ethereum co-founder summarized the results of a recent meeting of network researchers in Berlin, presenting the concept of Lean Ethereum. This is not about a single hard fork, but a series of fundamental changes that will be implemented over the next three to four years. Essentially, this is the third major iteration of Ethereum after The Merge.
Quantum Threat Is No Longer Distant
The most significant shift in the roadmap is the sharply increased priority of quantum resistance. While protection against quantum computers was previously considered a task for decades, it has now been elevated to a top-tier goal. Developers will accelerate the adoption of quantum-resistant cryptography and a new BLOB data format, and will replace vulnerable algorithms with recursive STARK proofs for block validation.
Privacy as a Foundation, Not an Option
The second key priority is privacy. Buterin stated outright that it is no longer an "additional feature." From now on, confidentiality is embedded into the architecture of all new components: from the mempool to data storage mechanisms. Additionally, the team intends to expand the use of formal verification to enhance security and simplify code auditing.
Radical Change in Storage Model
The boldest change concerns data. Instead of endlessly scaling the existing network state, developers propose preserving the current volume (about 2 TB) for complex applications, but adding a fundamentally new, ultra-scalable storage type for tokens, NFTs, and most DeFi protocols. According to Buterin's estimate, by 2030 Ethereum could support up to 100 TB in this new format.
Additionally, the team is considering a gradual phase-out of direct reliance on the EVM in favor of RISC-V or leanISA architectures, maintaining compatibility through a compilation layer. In the coming years, the network will gradually increase the gas limit and BLOB data volume, reducing slot times, but only after thorough security checks.
Expert opinion: Moving quantum resistance from the "distant future" to the category of immediate tasks is an extremely timely step. Given the pace of quantum computing development, Ethereum risks being caught off guard. As for the idea of splitting the state into "heavy" and "light" — this is perhaps the most elegant way to solve the state growth problem without losing decentralization. If the team can implement this without catastrophic consequences for compatibility, we will see a fundamentally different blockchain architecture.