On its tenth anniversary, Ethereum is not only reflecting on its journey but also initiating a strategic transformation. At the core of this process lies a new proposal known as Lean Ethereum.
Lean Ethereum Overview
Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake has presented the Lean Ethereum vision aimed at enhancing the resilience and performance of the network. Key goals include achieving 10,000 TPS on L1 and 1 million TPS on L2. This proposal also involves a transition to post-quantum cryptography, replacing BLS and KZG with hash-based primitives.
Dual Modes: Fort Mode and Beast Mode
Justin Drake proposes two operational modes for Lean Ethereum: ‘fort mode’ to ensure network survival under all circumstances and ‘beast mode’ to achieve high performance without sacrificing decentralization. Expected metrics include 10,000 TPS on L1 and 1 million on L2. The core technical pillars involve Lean Consensus, Lean Data, and Lean Execution, focused on strategic simplification.
Impact of Lean Ethereum on the Crypto Community
The Lean Ethereum vision entails changes not only in architecture but also in the roles of all participants in the crypto network. New standards will allow validators to perform full verification on regular devices. For developers, this means new standards, including formally verifiable code and increased compatibility with zero-knowledge proof tools. For end users, it promises a faster Ethereum, with the prospect of large-scale adoption without congestion.
Lean Ethereum serves as a structured response to geopolitical, economic, and technological challenges in the coming decade, reaffirming Ethereum's ambition to become the foundation of crypto infrastructure for the future.
