Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a radical simplification of Ethereum's base protocol on May 3, 2025, aiming for greater efficiency and security [1, 2]. Inspired by Bitcoin's minimalist design, Buterin outlined a vision to restructure Ethereum's architecture across consensus, execution, and shared components [1]. The goal is to make Ethereum as simple as Bitcoin within five years, enhancing its resilience and long-term scalability [1, 3].
Simplifying Consensus and Execution Layers
Buterin's proposal addresses the increasing complexity of Ethereum's development, which has led to higher costs and security risks [1, 5]. He suggests a "3-slot finality" model for the consensus layer, eliminating complex components like epochs and sync committees [1, 3]. This simplification would allow for more straightforward fork choice rules and decentralized network coordination [1].
For the execution layer, Buterin proposed a shift from the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to a simpler, ZK-friendly virtual machine like RISC-V [1, 6]. This could offer 100x performance improvements for zero-knowledge proofs [1, 9]. To maintain backward compatibility, legacy EVM contracts would run onchain via a RISC-V interpreter during a transitional phase [2, 12].
Protocol-Wide Standardization
Buterin also advocated for protocol-wide standardization, including a single erasure coding method and serialization format [1, 8]. He suggested Ethereum adopt a "max line-of-code" target to keep consensus-critical logic lean and auditable [1, 7]. This proposal comes as Ethereum faces increasing competition from other blockchains [1, 4].