Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new network development concept called Lean Ethereum. This is not just another hard fork, but the third major iteration of the protocol, comparable in scale to the historic transition to Proof-of-Stake (The Merge). Under this initiative, nearly every key component of the blockchain is planned to be replaced.
It is important to understand: Lean Ethereum is not a one-time event, but rather a roadmap spanning three to four years. It includes a series of sequential improvements that will be implemented in stages. The new strategy was unveiled after a closed meeting of Ethereum researchers in Berlin, continuing April discussions with development teams.
What will change: from STARK proofs to privacy
Key changes will affect the very architecture of the network. Transaction verification will transition to recursive STARK proofs, completely replacing the current re-execution model. This will radically improve efficiency. Additionally, all elements vulnerable to quantum computing will be replaced with quantum-resistant counterparts.
Buterin specifically emphasized a shift in priorities regarding privacy. While this was previously a secondary concern, it is now taking center stage. When designing new components, developers will directly consider how private transactions without intermediaries pass through them.
Contentious issue: new network state and scaling
The most radical and debated part of the plan concerns the network state. The current type of state will remain largely unchanged but will grow moderately. In parallel, a new type of storage will be added that scales much better but is not suitable for all tasks.
Buterin provided a specific forecast for 2030: 2 TB of old-type state and 100 TB of new-type state. The new format will be ideal for ERC20 tokens, NFTs, and most DeFi scenarios, but not for complex "central" objects such as Uniswap contracts or on-chain order books. Rewriting applications is not mandatory, but it will be highly beneficial. For example, moving an ERC20 token to the new storage type could reduce fees by more than ten times.
Over the next five years, we can expect an increase in the gas limit, a rise in the number of blocks, and a reduction in block time. A major jump in the gas limit is expected with the Glasterdam upgrade. According to Buterin, each scaling step will depend on when it becomes safe to implement.
Cryptalist Analysis: The Lean Ethereum concept is the most ambitious network development plan since The Merge. It addresses three fundamental problems simultaneously: scalability (through the new state), security (quantum resistance), and confidentiality. If the team manages to implement the plan without major disruptions, Ethereum could receive not just an upgrade, but essentially a new architecture that will lay the foundation for its dominance in the next decade.