Vitalik Buterin has proposed a big change to how Ethereum works, which has caused a lot of discussion. He wants to switch the system that runs Ethereum, called the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), to RISC-V, a common computer setup.
He noted that this could make the network work much faster and be easier to use. The EVM is like the engine that runs programs on Ethereum, but it’s becoming a problem as Ethereum tries to grow.
Buterin Proposed Ethereum Improvement
Buterin believes that using RISC-V instead of the EVM could greatly improve how quickly Ethereum can prove things, especially for new ways to make Ethereum bigger using special privacy tricks. These tricks, called Zero-Knowledge EVMs (ZK-EVMs), already use RISC-V to translate Ethereum operations before creating proofs.
Buterin aims to advance the field by encouraging programmers to write programs that directly utilize RISC-V. Although popular programming languages like Solidity and Vyper will remain in use, they will prioritize RISC-V instead of the EVM.
This change wouldn’t affect general operation. Programs would still communicate, and Ethereum’s basic structure would remain the same. The main change would involve how the system performs calculations in the background. Importantly, older EVM programs must still work and communicate with the new RISC-V programs.
This change could bring big benefits. Buterin thinks it could make proving things over 50 times faster, which could help ETH compete with faster blockchains like Solana and Sui. The network is currently not being used as much as it used to.
ETH Transaction Drops Below 2020 Level
Transaction fees have dropped to levels not seen since 2020 because people are using other networks to save money. While recent improvements have lowered storage costs on these other networks, they have also reduced Ethereum’s income.
With the next upgrade coming soon, Buterin’s suggestion for a major change shows that small improvements may not be enough to solve Ethereum’s long-term growth problems. To keep up with faster blockchains and ensure it can keep growing, Ethereum may need to rethink its core system for running programs.
Nonetheless, this could lead to a more efficient and scalable future based on RISC-V. This idea is worth thinking about carefully as the Ethereum community explores the future of blockchain technology.
