Ethereum's Delayed Implementation Hobbles Privacy Push

A recent update from Ameen Soleimani, a developer on X, has highlighted concerns about Ethereum's delay in implementing the Poseidon precompile. This function, essential for efficient zk proofs, has been available on other blockchains such as Solana and Starknet since 2020-2022.

According to Soleimani, the community has been emphasizing 'privacy by default,' but the required technical upgrade is yet to be implemented. This has resulted in a gap in privacy features on Ethereum, making it difficult for users to achieve true anonymity.

The Poseidon precompile is a low-cost function that could significantly reduce gas fees on Ethereum. However, its absence makes privacy on apps impractical on layer 1. Soleimani believes that the reliability and battle-tested nature of Poseidon make it an ideal choice for zk systems.