Buterin’s Roadmap Focuses on Decentralization, Layer 2 Integration, and Interoperability
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined a vision for Ethereum to reach 100,000 transactions per second (TPS) in a recent blog post. This target is part of ‘The Surge,’ the next phase of the protocol’s Dencun upgrade, which will rely on further integration of Layer 2 scaling solutions, enhanced data availability sampling, and data compression techniques.
Buterin’s roadmap emphasizes maintaining a decentralized Layer 1 (L1) while ensuring Layer 2s (L2s) align with Ethereum’s core values. He envisions L1 as a secure and robust foundation, with L2s taking on the role of scaling the ecosystem. Drawing a parallel, he compared this division to how a court system (L1) protects contracts, while entrepreneurs (L2) build efficient systems on top of that base.
Instead of simply increasing Ethereum’s gas limit—which would lead to centralization by requiring more expensive hardware and excluding smaller nodes—Buterin proposes a more balanced approach. This includes exploring optimized gas fees and introducing the Ethereum Object Format (EOF) to improve bytecode efficiency.
Enhancing Layer 2 Interoperability:
Buterin also addressed the current friction between different Layer 2 solutions, which can sometimes feel like isolated ecosystems. He stressed that Ethereum should function as a unified ecosystem, not as a collection of separate blockchains. To achieve this, he suggested adding standardized chain identifiers and improving cross-L2 standards, facilitating smoother interactions across multiple chains.
He shared a personal example of losing $100 on Polymarket, not due to a bad bet, but because he accidentally selected the wrong chain. This underscores his point that if L2s are genuinely part of the Ethereum ecosystem, they must provide a seamless user experience akin to a unified platform.
In essence, Buterin’s roadmap aims to maintain Ethereum’s decentralized foundation while enabling seamless interoperability and scaling through Layer 2s, moving towards the ambitious goal of 100,000 TPS.
