Vitalik Buterin Proposes Simplifying Ethereum to Mirror Bitcoin's Success

Vitalik Buterin Proposes Ethereum Simplification

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has proposed simplifying Ethereum's Layer-1 chain to adopt some of Bitcoin's key strengths. In a recent blog post, he emphasized the importance of mirroring Bitcoin's simplicity, which he believes could significantly benefit Ethereum.

The Case for Simplicity

Buterin highlighted Bitcoin's straightforward protocol, where blocks are connected by hashes and verified through proof of work. He noted that this simplicity makes Bitcoin easy to understand, even for a high school student, and allows developers to create clients as hobby projects. He advocates for bringing this level of simplicity to Ethereum to reduce maintenance costs, minimize bugs, and expand participation in protocol development.

Targeting Ethereum's Complexity

Buterin identified specific areas of Ethereum that could be simplified, such as the EVM's 256-bit architecture and precompiles, which he believes are overly optimized for outdated use cases. He suggested that these modifications could make Ethereum more resilient and attractive to users and developers.

Long-Term Vision

While the benefits of these changes may not be immediate, Buterin insists they will be worth it in the long term. He proposed implementing these modifications over the next five years, aligning with Ethereum's 2025 roadmap and the upcoming Pectra upgrade, which aims to significantly boost Layer-2 data availability.

By simplifying Ethereum's Layer-1 chain, Buterin aims to enhance scalability, security, and decentralization, making Ethereum more robust and appealing for years to come.