Ethereum Unveils Multi-Year Rebuild Plan: 'Lean Ethereum' Aims to Simplify, Secure Network

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has outlined a multi-year plan to rebuild and redesign the network. Dubbed 'Lean Ethereum,' this roadmap is the most significant overhaul since the network transitioned from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake in September 2022.

The full rebuild is expected to take three to four years and will address three key problems: simplification, privacy, and quantum resistance. Post-quantum cryptographic signatures are targeted for implementation by 2029.

The roadmap also involves replacing quantum-vulnerable components with a recursive STARK-based verification mechanism and introducing a new multidimensional gas pricing system. This system would allow the network to price different types of computational resources independently, rather than lumping everything into a single fee.

Ethereum's third major iteration is underway, following the original proof-of-work chain launched in 2015 and the Merge in September 2022, which transitioned the network to proof-of-stake. The Ethereum Foundation recently underwent significant operational restructuring, cutting its budget by approximately 40% and reducing its workforce by about 20%.

The projected state capacity increases, with 2 TB of dynamic state and support for a 100 TB state model by 2030, have competitive implications. If Ethereum can handle dramatically more on-chain activity without sacrificing decentralization, it narrows the argument for alternative Layer 1s that pitch themselves primarily on throughput.