The Ethereum ecosystem is preparing for a fundamental restructuring. Following a meeting of network researchers in Berlin, Vitalik Buterin outlined key development directions under the Lean Ethereum concept. This is not just another update — it is the third major iteration of the protocol, which will unfold over the next three to four years and affect virtually every element of it.
The main shift is in priorities. While protection against quantum computers was once considered a distant future task, it is now one of the central fronts of work. The network plans to replace vulnerable cryptographic algorithms with quantum-resistant alternatives and introduce a new BLOB data format. This is a signal to the market: Ethereum is seriously preparing for the post-quantum era, and this process has already begun.
Privacy is becoming an equally important direction. Buterin emphasized that it is no longer viewed as an optional "add-on." From now on, confidentiality is embedded into the architecture of all new components — from the mempool to storage systems. Developers are also expanding the use of formal verification to enhance security and simplify protocol auditing.
One of the most radical changes will be an update to the data storage model. Instead of endlessly scaling the existing network "state," it is proposed to preserve it for complex applications while simultaneously introducing new, more efficient storage types for tokens, NFTs, and most DeFi protocols. Estimates suggest that by 2030, Ethereum will be able to support about 2 TB of traditional state and up to 100 TB of optimized state.
The technical restructuring will also affect the virtual machine. The team is considering a gradual move away from direct reliance on the EVM in favor of RISC-V or leanISA architectures, maintaining compatibility with existing applications through a compilation layer. In parallel, the network will continue to increase the gas limit, BLOB data volume, and reduce slot times — but only after confirming the security of each step.
Analyst's opinion: The market often underestimates the scale of changes being laid out in Ethereum today. The transition to quantum-resistant cryptography and the embedding of privacy at the protocol level are not just technical upgrades but a strategic restructuring that will determine the network's competitiveness for the next decade. If the team executes its plans, Ethereum will strengthen its position as the base layer for institutional and decentralized finance.