At a meeting of Ethereum network researchers held in Berlin, key development directions for the project under the Lean Ethereum concept were identified. Blockchain co-founder Vitalik Buterin presented a vision of what should become the third major iteration of the network, following The Merge. 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.
Five Pillars of the New Architecture
The new architecture will affect virtually every key component of the protocol. Developers' plans include a full transition to block verification using recursive STARK proofs, replacing cryptographic algorithms vulnerable to quantum computers, updating the consensus mechanism, introducing a multidimensional gas model, and a deep overhaul of the client architecture along with the network's state storage system.
The most notable shift has been the increased priority of quantum resistance. While protection against quantum threats was previously seen as a distant future task, it has now been brought to the forefront. Work on quantum-resistant cryptography and a new BLOB data format will be significantly accelerated.
Privacy as a Core Function
Another key change is the attitude towards privacy. Buterin emphasized that it is no longer an optional feature. From now on, confidentiality is embedded at the design stage of all new components — from the mempool to storage mechanisms. Developers also intend to expand the use of formal verification to enhance security and simplify protocol auditing.
The most radical innovation, I would say, is the update to the data storage model. Instead of endlessly scaling the current state of the network, the team proposes preserving it for complex smart contracts, while simultaneously introducing new, much more scalable storage types for tokens, NFTs, and most DeFi applications. According to Buterin's estimates, by 2030, Ethereum will be able to simultaneously support about 2 TB of "traditional" state and up to 100 TB of the new, optimized format.
Evolution of the Virtual Machine
In the long term, the team is considering a gradual move away from direct dependence on the EVM in favor of RISC-V or leanISA architectures. Compatibility with existing applications will be maintained through a compilation layer. In the coming years, the network will continue to gradually increase the gas limit, BLOB data volume, and reduce slot times, but each such change will only be implemented after thorough security checks.
Expert opinion: This plan is not just a roadmap, but a bid for a complete restructuring of Ethereum's foundation. The transition to STARK proofs and quantum-resistant cryptography is a strategic move that should ensure the network's leadership for decades to come. However, I see the main risk in the complexity of synchronizing all these changes: simultaneously restructuring the consensus, storage, and virtual machine is a challenge of unprecedented scale that will require exceptional coordination among development teams.