Ethereum Foundation Unveils 10-Year Strategic Vision for the Blockchain Network

After the recent 10th anniversary of the Ethereum mainnet, the Ethereum Foundation announced its development roadmap for the next decade.

The document was authored by lead developer Justin Drake, who emphasized the protocol’s 100% uptime since its launch, the diversity of clients, and the impressive 35.7 million ETH valued at $130 billion that is currently staked in the system.

Drake believes that Ethereum is poised to become the «foundation of the value internet.»

«[The blockchain] must endure everything: nation-states, quantum computers. Whatever happens. Think of it as a fortress mode. If the internet is operational, then Ethereum is operational. If the world is online, then the world is on-chain,» stated the programmer.

Drake identified the generation of new resources as a critical necessity for the network, with the strategic goal being Layer 1 scaling and block expansion.

He forecasts modest performance growth over the next 6-12 months, and in the long term, he anticipates a transition of the blockchain into «beast mode.»

To enhance decentralization, there are plans for real-time integration of zkVM at the execution layer and the DAS at the data layer. Drake also suggested a potential for «complete chain verification on every browser, wallet, and phone.»

According to the developer, the team is focused on improving three core components of the protocol.

At the consensus level, the introduction of the Beacon Chain 2.0 upgrade is on the agenda, which will enhance security and decentralization, allowing for finalization «in just seconds.» This initiative was previously known as Beam Chain.

Data levels will be upgraded with BLOB 2.0, which encompasses post-quantum BLOBs and granular size definitions for objects to improve user experience in calldata format.

The execution layer will be enhanced with EVM 2.0, a minimal instruction set that is compatible with SNARK technologies, boosting performance while maintaining compatibility with the virtual machine.

«[All blockchain components] have been reimagined from the ground up. Together, they unlock the possibilities of ‘fort’ mode and ‘beast’ mode. The goal is to achieve abundant performance within the constraints of immutable continuity, maximum resilience, and refreshing simplicity,» Drake added.

The developer outlined that a hash-based cryptography approach would be the ideal solution to face imminent threats posed by quantum computers and the increasing proliferation of SNARK protocols.

It’s worth noting that on May 7, a significant upgrade named Pectra was activated in the network of the second-largest cryptocurrency. In July, details were shared regarding the timeline for the next hard fork, Fusaka, which is set to be deployed in November.