The next step for Ethereum, the technical breakthrough proposed by Vitalik Buterin

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recently announced that an important turning point has arrived for the network. As PeerDAS( data availability sampling) and zkEVM transition from theoretical concepts to actual implementation, a technical foundation has been established to overcome Ethereum’s fundamental limitations.

The Triple Challenge of Blockchain: Catching Three Birds with One Stone

Vitalik Buterin described the core challenge facing Ethereum as the “triple trouble of blockchain.” The basic principle is that it is impossible for a system to be decentralized, reach consensus, and maintain high bandwidth simultaneously. To explain this, Buterin compared and analyzed two internet systems.

Decentralized file sharing systems like BitTorrent can move enormous amounts of data, but do not require consensus mechanisms. Conversely, Bitcoin has strong decentralization and consensus, but all nodes must repeatedly verify the same tasks, limiting processing speed and bandwidth. Buterin emphasized that Ethereum’s next evolutionary direction aims to achieve all three simultaneously.

PeerDAS: The First Mover in Scalability

The first stage, PeerDAS, is already in full operation on the Ethereum mainnet. The core of this technology is that nodes can verify data validity without downloading the entire data set. Light clients sample only a small portion and verify that all shard data has been properly posted, enabling a revolutionary improvement in scalability while maintaining decentralization and security.

zkEVM: Approaching Production Level

Buterin mentioned that the second stage, zkEVM, has already reached production-level performance. Remaining tasks include large-scale security monitoring and robustness verification. Buterin explained that this is not just a theoretical solution to the triple trouble of blockchain, but a tangible progress through “running code.” He projected that zkEVM nodes could begin in a limited scope this year.

Changes Brought by Distributed Block Building

The long-term goal is to expand “distributed block building.” This approach involves not assembling entire blocks in one place by a single entity, reducing censorship risks and improving geographical fairness across the network. It signifies a fundamental shift away from the traditional method of replicating everything on all nodes toward distributing verification tasks across the network.

The three-stage technical roadmap proposed by Buterin demonstrates that Ethereum can maintain Bitcoin-level decentralization while surpassing existing limitations. How this transition from theory to implementation will reshape the future of cryptocurrency networks will be proven in the coming development process.