Ethereum Towards Simplicity: Vitalik Buterin Proposes Bitcoin-Inspired Redesign
On May 3, 2025, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, presented an ambitious proposal to simplify the architecture of the network, aiming to make it as accessible and efficient as Bitcoin in the next five years. In his blog post titled “Simplifying the L1”, Buterin argues that the current complexity of Ethereum compromises its scalability, security, and agility in development.
The proposal includes the adoption of a “3-slot finality” model for consensus, eliminating components like epochs and sync committees, and reducing the number of active validators. Additionally, it suggests replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with a RISC-V based virtual machine, which is more compatible with zero-knowledge proofs (ZK) and potentially up to 100 times more efficient.
Buterin also advocates for the standardization of critical protocol elements, such as encoding methods, serialization formats, and data structures, aiming to reduce redundancies and facilitate maintenance. He further proposes a maximum line of code limit to keep the consensus logic lean and auditable.
These changes aim not only to improve the technical efficiency of Ethereum but also to regain its leading position against competing blockchains, as highlighted by Alex Svanevik, CEO of Nansen, during the LONGITUDE event by Cointelegraph.