Ethereum has been criticized by the community many times in this round of bull market due to the continued weakness of the coin price and the foundation's management issues. Even the most important Pectra upgrade in Q1 this year has encountered problems on the test network, which has continued to undermine the confidence of the ETH community.
In this regard, in a recent interview on the Bankless YouTube channel, Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko detailed Ethereum’s development roadmap, including an in-depth analysis of the upcoming Pectra upgrade, as well as the longer-term Fusaka and Glamsterdam upgrade blueprints. He also focused on how Ethereum actively expands Layer1 data availability while maintaining security, demonstrating Ethereum’s continued evolution and adaptation.
The following dynamic areas are summarized for readers:
The core of Ethereum upgrade: security first
Beiko first stated that in the blockchain world, Ethereum is unique in its extremely robust security strategy. This high emphasis on security has enabled the Ethereum network to continue operating to this day without any major downtime.
The Ethereum core developer community has invested a lot of effort in maintaining this indestructible platform. In development meetings, their top priority is always security. Any proposal, no matter how innovative, must pass a rigorous security review before being included in Ethereum’s upgrade plan. This "security first" principle is the cornerstone of Ethereum's ability to become a reliable and long-lasting blockchain platform.
Just imagine, if there is a loophole in Ethereum's security mechanism, billions or even trillions of dollars of assets will be at risk. The traditional financial system can make up for security loopholes through centralized third-party institutions and legal channels. For example, a bank can try to withdraw a transaction after an erroneous transfer. However, in the decentralized world of Ethereum, once the smart contract is deployed and the transaction is completed, there is no chance of "regret".
Early blockchain history, such as Bitcoin’s inflation vulnerability and Ethereum’s DAO incident, reminds us that blockchain security incidents often trigger fierce controversy in the community and are difficult to reverse. Therefore, Ethereum must put security first and ensure the stability and reliability of the network.
If we completely ignore security, we may be able to achieve expansion faster, and even have many blockchains that are "forked from Ethereum" but faster. However, these chains often sacrifice stability and security and may require manual intervention or even restarts.
Ethereum has chosen a more difficult but more sustainable path: gradually improving the network's scalability without compromising security. This also explains why Ethereum’s upgrade cycle is usually 6 to 12 months, rather than shorter, because each upgrade must undergo rigorous testing and iteration to ensure safety.
Scalability: The main theme of Ethereum upgrade
Although security is the cornerstone, the most prominent theme of Ethereum upgrades in recent years is "scalability." Whether at the execution layer or the consensus layer, scalability is the focus of core developers. The upcoming Pectra upgrade, and the longer-term Fusaka and Glamsterdam upgrades, will take scalability to unprecedented levels.
Beiko explained that in the Pectra upgrade, the consensus layer will introduce Blob data extensions, which is an important step in expanding data availability. In the Fusaka upgrade, a technology called Proto-Danksharding (PIAS) will further improve data processing efficiency and provide stronger data support for Layer2 solutions. These technical upgrades are aimed at solving the scalability bottlenecks currently faced by the Ethereum network, reducing transaction costs, increasing network throughput, and paving the way for a wider range of application scenarios.
Pectra Upgrade
The two most significant changes in the consensus layer of the Pectra upgrade are "increase in the maximum balance (Max EB) of validators" and "Blob data expansion".
Max EB: Improving network efficiency and small validator benefits
Currently, Ethereum validators need to stake 32 ETH to participate in network verification. Although this mechanism ensures decentralization, it also has some efficiency deficiencies. For example, a large staking institution may need to run a large number of 32 ETH validators, increasing the network's message broadcasting burden. The introduction of Max EB will allow validators to merge multiple 32 ETH validators into one, and the maximum balance of a single validator can be increased to 2048 ETH. The benefits of this upgrade are twofold:
- Reduce network bandwidth usage of large validators: Large institutions can distribute their huge ETH stakes to a smaller number of validators, thereby reducing the amount of information that needs to be broadcast on the network and releasing more bandwidth for expansion technologies such as Blob.
- Improve compounding benefits for small validators: For small stakers who hold more than 32 ETH but not enough to run multiple validators, Max EB allows them to stake more than 32 ETH, thereby compounding their staking rewards more effectively. For example, if a user holds 50 ETH, after the Max EB upgrade, they can use all 50 ETH for a validator instead of only being able to stake 32 ETH and leaving the remaining ETH idle.
Max EB does not require all validators to merge their validators, but is a selective optimization. Large institutions can choose whether to merge validators based on their own circumstances to achieve optimal network efficiency and cost-effectiveness. For small validators, this upgrade provides a more convenient and higher-yielding way to stake.
As for how much network bandwidth Max EB can save for Ethereum, it is difficult to accurately estimate at present, which depends on the actual merger willingness and operation strategy of large validators. But what is certain is that Max EB will release more network resources for Ethereum's future expansion and upgrades, especially Blob data expansion.
Blob Data Extensions: Layer 2 Highway
Blob (Binary Large Object) is a new type of data storage mechanism designed specifically for Layer 2 expansion solutions. In the Pectra upgrade, Ethereum will increase the number of blobs per block from an average of 3 to 6, with a maximum of 9. This means that the Layer 2 solution will have double the data space to record transaction data, thereby significantly reducing the transaction cost of Layer 2 and increasing transaction speed.
The design concept of Blob comes from a deep understanding of Layer 2 data requirements. Layer 2 solutions, such as Arbitrum and Optimism, process transactions outside the Ethereum mainnet, and then regularly "roll back" transaction data to the mainnet to ensure data security and traceability. Layer 2 does not need to store all transaction data permanently on the Ethereum mainnet, they only need to ensure the availability of data within a period of time (for example, a window period for dispute resolution and withdrawals).
Traditional Ethereum transaction data (Call Data) is stored permanently, which is a waste of resources for Layer 2. Blob is a "temporary" data storage solution. Blob data will be automatically deleted after being stored for a period of time, which enables the Ethereum network to provide data availability services for Layer 2 more economically and efficiently.
The introduction of Blob has brought significant cost reduction to Layer 2. The Pectra upgrade will further expand the Blob space, which will undoubtedly inject new vitality into the development of Layer 2, allowing Layer 2 solutions to carry larger transaction volumes and achieve lower transaction costs, ultimately benefiting all users in the Ethereum ecosystem.
Data availability expansion, represented by Blob, is a key part of Ethereum's expansion strategy. In the future, Ethereum will also explore more advanced data sharding technologies, such as Proto-Danksharding (PIAS), to further improve data processing efficiency and reduce data storage costs. These technological upgrades all point to the same goal: to make Ethereum the best infrastructure for Layer 2 and to jointly build a scalable, low-cost, and high-performance blockchain ecosystem.
EIP-7702: The Beginning of Account Abstraction
EIP-7702 is another high-profile proposal in the Pectra upgrade, which represents Ethereum’s first step in the field of Account Abstraction. Account abstraction aims to combine the advantages of external accounts (EOA) and smart contract accounts to improve the user experience and flexibility of Ethereum users.
Currently, Ethereum accounts are mainly divided into two types: external accounts (EOA) and smart contract accounts. EOA is controlled by the user's private key, and the operation is simple and direct, but the functions are limited; smart contract accounts have rich functions and logic, such as multi-signatures, automated transactions, etc., but the threshold for use is high. The goal of account abstraction is to allow users to manage assets as easily as using EOA, while enjoying the flexibility and customizability of smart contract accounts.
The implementation method of EIP-7702 is to allow the EOA account to temporarily "delegate" to a smart contract account, so that the EOA account can obtain the functions of the smart contract. Users can revoke delegation at any time, or switch delegation to another smart contract account. This mechanism provides users with great flexibility. They can choose different smart contract "plug-ins" according to different needs to add various functions to their EOA accounts.
For example, users can entrust EOA to a "secure wallet" smart contract to obtain security features such as multi-signature and transaction limits; they can also entrust it to an "automated transaction" smart contract to achieve automated operations such as timed and fixed-amount investment and conditional triggered transactions. More importantly, users can replace these "plug-ins" at any time, freely combine and customize their own account functions, without being restricted to a single smart contract wallet.
EIP-7702 is seen as a preliminary attempt at Ethereum account abstraction. It does not completely solve all problems of account abstraction, such as the flexibility of gas fee payment methods, private key replacement, etc. But it lays the foundation for the future development direction of the Ethereum account system and also provides new ideas for innovation of Layer 2 solutions in the field of account abstraction. Layer 2 solutions have long been at the forefront of account abstraction, and they need to provide users with more convenient and powerful account management capabilities. The introduction of EIP-7702 is expected to promote the standardization and interoperability of Ethereum Layer 1 and Layer 2 in the field of account abstraction.
Fusaka and Glamsterdam: A more distant blueprint for expansion
After Pectra, Beiko also revealed that Ethereum’s upgrade plan has targeted Fusaka and Glamsterdam. The core of the Fusaka upgrade is Proto-Danksharding (PIAS) and the Ethereum Object Format (EOF).
Proto-Danksharding (PIAS): A leap forward in data availability
Proto-Danksharding (PIAS) is a more advanced data sharding technology that will further enhance Ethereum’s data processing capabilities and significantly reduce Layer 2 data costs. The core idea of PIAS is that it no longer requires each Ethereum node to store all Blob data, but instead stores the data in different nodes in the network in a distributed manner and ensures the availability and integrity of the data through cryptographic technology. This mechanism can significantly reduce the data storage burden on each node, thereby achieving a higher number of blobs and lower data costs.
In a tweet in early March this year, Vitalik Buterin expressed the hope that the Fusaka upgrade would increase the number of blobs to 48 per block. This is another order of magnitude improvement compared to the 6 blobs after the Pectra upgrade. If this goal can be achieved, Layer 2 data costs will be expected to drop significantly again, perhaps even approaching one-tenth of the current cost.
The implementation of PIAS is a complex project, involving technical challenges at multiple levels, including cryptography, network protocols, and consensus mechanisms. The Ethereum core developer community has invested a lot of research and development work in PIAS and is currently moving steadily towards the goal of achieving the Fusaka upgrade in 2025. PIAS is seen as another "qualitative leap" in Ethereum's expansion, which will lay a solid foundation for the explosive growth of the Ethereum Layer 2 ecosystem.
Ethereum Object Format (EOF): A Modern Upgrade for the Virtual Machine
The Ethereum Object Format (EOF) is a major upgrade to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). EVM is the operating environment of Ethereum smart contracts. Since the birth of Ethereum, the architecture and functions of EVM have been relatively conservative. EOF's goal is to upgrade the EVM from a "1950s-style computer" to a "1990s-style computer," making it more modern, more efficient, and more secure.
The upgrade of EOF mainly includes the following aspects:
- Separation of code and data: In the current EVM, the code and data of smart contracts are stored together, which is not conducive to tool development and security analysis. EOF will achieve the separation of code and data, improving the readability and maintainability of smart contracts.
- Improved instruction set: EOF will introduce a series of new EVM instructions to improve the execution efficiency of EVM and facilitate the development of compilers and programming languages.
- Removing obsolete or unsafe features: EOF will remove some obsolete or unsafe features in the EVM, such as certain opcodes, to improve the overall security of the EVM.
- Version control: EOF will introduce a version control mechanism for EVM, laying the foundation for future upgrades and expansions of EVM.
The upgrade of EOF is mainly aimed at developers. It can improve the efficiency and security of smart contract development and pave the way for more advanced smart contract functions. Although EOF may not be strongly felt by ordinary users, it is crucial to the long-term development of the Ethereum ecosystem. A more modern, efficient and secure EVM will attract more developers to join the Ethereum ecosystem and create richer and more innovative applications.
Glamsterdam: Future Directions
Glamsterdam is a longer-term goal in Ethereum’s upgrade blueprint, and there is currently no clear upgrade content and timetable. However, the core developer community has already begun planning the upgrade direction of Glamsterdam and is trying to parallelize the upgrade planning process with the development process to improve the efficiency of upgrade iterations.
Overall, the Ethereum upgrade roadmap described by Beiko shows its continued efforts and pursuit in security, scalability, and user experience. The three-phase upgrade of Pectra, Fusaka and Glamsterdam will enable Ethereum to make significant progress in many aspects, including Layer 1 expansion, Layer 2 infrastructure, account system modernization, and virtual machine performance improvement.
Although Ethereum's upgrade process is relatively slow and cautious, this steady and solid strategy also ensures the long-term stability and sustainability of the Ethereum network. Let us continue to observe whether it can become a solid foundation for the future Web3 world.
