Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, is proposing a major overhaul of the network. The goal? To simplify its architecture, enhance scalability, and bolster long-term stability. Drawing inspiration from Bitcoin’s minimalist design, Buterin advocates for a shift that could revolutionize Ethereum’s future. 2023 saw Ethereum experience a surge in popularity driven by DeFi projects, NFTs and DAOs, but the platform’s complexity has become a growing concern. This is leading to slower performance, higher transaction costs, and increased security risks. Buterin acknowledges these challenges and is now pushing for a leaner, more efficient Ethereum. 2023 saw Ethereum experience a surge in popularity driven by DeFi projects, NFTs and DAOs, but the platform’s complexity has become a growing concern. He calls for streamlining processes to make it easier to maintain, upgrade and expand. The changes proposed include: – Reducing validator signatures: This will cut down network congestion and improve performance during peak times. – Adopting a ZK-friendly virtual machine (VM): This move could enhance security and scalability by simplifying zero-knowledge proof functionality. – Simplifying data formats across the protocol to reduce technical debt. Buterin’s proposal aims to create a faster, more secure and developer-friendly Ethereum network, closer in design philosophy to Bitcoin while retaining its unique capabilities as a smart contract platform. Buterin hopes this change will align Ethereum with its original cypherpunk roots, focusing on privacy, decentralization, and open-source principles.