The Ethereum Foundation has presented a long-term technological plan for the network's development, spanning until 2029. The Lean Ethereum concept is not just another set of improvements, but a full-scale revision of the protocol architecture, comparable in scale to the transition to Proof-of-Stake.
At the end of June, Ethereum researchers held a strategic meeting in Berlin, where the updated roadmap, known in the community as the strawmap, was formed. The results were summarized by network co-founder Vitalik Buterin, and the document itself describes the largest transformation since The Merge.
Five "Guiding Stars" of the New Architecture
The developers identified five key goals around which the entire restructuring will be built:
- Accelerating the base layer. The slot creation time is planned to be reduced from the current 12 seconds to 2 seconds in stages.
- Increasing L1 throughput. The target is around 10,000 TPS through the implementation of zkEVM and real-time proof generation.
- Scaling L2. The bar is set at the "teragas" level — approximately 10 million TPS. This will become possible thanks to new approaches to data availability.
- Post-quantum protection. Traditional cryptographic algorithms will be replaced with hash-based solutions resistant to attacks from quantum computers.
- Privacy. Implementation of hidden ETH transfers, where transaction details will not be published on the open blockchain.
A key element of the restructuring will be the new consensus mechanism Minimmit, which will accelerate finalization by 120 times — from 16 minutes to 8 seconds.
Glamsterdam and Hegota: Upcoming Hard Forks
The next network updates are named Glamsterdam and Hegota. The first is expected in the second half of 2026. Its main component is the ePBS mechanism, which permanently separates the functions of block creation and confirmation, as well as Block-Level Access Lists (BAL) for data optimization. The goal is to increase the gas limit, reduce costs, and combat MEV.
The Hegota upgrade, according to Buterin, will likely be the last "before the Lean era." It is aimed at improving scalability and optimizing data management.
Cryptography, Consensus, and Speed
One of the most radical changes is the replacement of classical transaction verification with recursive STARK proofs. This system will become the basic computational component of the network, eliminating the need for each node to re-execute operations.
Privacy has been elevated to a top priority. When designing the mempool and interaction infrastructure, developers are laying the groundwork for protected transfers that should be combined with post-quantum protection. The Ethereum Foundation plans to complete the transition to quantum-resistant algorithms by 2029, with the SPHINCS- method potentially serving as an interim solution, allowing accounts to be secured for just $0.07.
The Most Controversial Part: New State Storage
Buterin called the restructuring of state storage "the most radical part of the plan." The idea is to keep dynamic state almost unchanged but add new types of storage designed for much larger volumes. By 2030, the picture could look like this: about 2 TB of old-type state and up to 100 TB of new-type state.
According to Buterin's estimate, migrating an ERC-20 token to the new storage scheme via UTXO would reduce fees by more than ten times. However, the question of incentives for storing the growing volume of data remains open.
Community Reaction and My Expert Assessment
The crypto industry generally received the plan positively, albeit with reservations. StarkWare co-founder Eli Ben-Sasson praised the focus on recursive STARKs and quantum security but called the timeline too long. Former Ethereum Foundation researcher Dankrad Feist suggested completing it within one year, pointing to AI tools as a potential accelerator.
However, some ETH holders are skeptical. Users complain about fatigue from multiple roadmaps and the lack of a tangible effect on fees and the asset's price. One commenter noted: "The strawmap update with ETH price at 1.8 times the level of The Merge — that's the whole vibe."
My expert opinion: Lean Ethereum sets an ambitious and logical development direction. However, the main risk is the time gap between promises and reality. While developers are making plans for 3-4 years ahead, users want to see lower fees and increased speed right now. The success of this roadmap will depend not only on technological breakthroughs but also on the team's ability to maintain community trust in the face of fierce competition from other L1 solutions.