PANews reported on August 7 that Vitalik Buterin stated on the X platform that it is surprising that so many mainstream Layer-2s are at the first stage of security standards. The next goal should be to achieve a fast (under 1 hour) withdrawal time through ZK (also known as zero-knowledge proofs) systems. This is more important than the second stage. If the native withdrawal time can be reduced to under 1 hour in the short term and to 12 seconds in the medium term, it will further solidify Ethereum Layer-1 as the default platform for issuing assets and the economic center of the Ethereum ecosystem. To achieve this, the OP proof system needs to be abandoned, as it essentially requires waiting several days for withdrawals.
Historically, zero-knowledge proof technology has been immature and costly, making OP proofs a wise and safe choice. However, this situation is rapidly changing. Vitalik pointed out earlier this year that he proposed a '2-of-3' ZK + OP + TEE proof system strategy that balances security, speed, and maturity.
A 2-of-3 system (ZK, OP) is trustless, meaning that no single participant (including TEE manufacturers or side-channel attackers) can break the proof system by violating the trust assumptions.
A 2-of-3 system (ZK, TEE) is instant, allowing for quick withdrawals under normal circumstances.
A 2-of-3 system (TEE, OP) has been in production for many years in various environments.
This is just one approach; perhaps people will choose a ZK + ZK + OP tiebreaker, or a ZK + ZK + secure committee tiebreaker. I don't have strong opinions on this; what I care about is the fundamental goal of being fast (under normal circumstances) and secure. With such a proof system, the only bottleneck for fast settlement becomes the Gas cost of submitting proofs on-chain.
