Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shared his reflections on the state of the protocol and its potential evolution following the anticipated 'Merge.'

Post-Merge Thoughts

The transition of Ethereum to proof-of-stake marked a significant and long-awaited event. However, as Vitalik Buterin noted, important areas still need improvement. One primary goal for Ethereum's future is to reduce the time it takes to finalize a transaction. Currently, finality can take around 15 minutes, causing delays on the most heavily trafficked blockchain network. Buterin proposed exploring single-slot finality solutions, which could drastically reduce transaction time and enhance the overall user experience.

Keeping the Network Secure

Vitalik Buterin emphasized the importance of protecting Ethereum from potential attacks. He discussed implementing a cryptographic technique called 'single secret leader election,' which would complicate efforts by attackers. Additionally, he suggested speeding up transaction confirmation timing, exploring ways to improve the protocol's resistance to quantum computing threats in the future, and increasing quorum threshold and recovery from 51% attacks.

Upcoming Ethereum Updates

Buterin's thoughts on improving the network come as Ethereum anticipates its next milestone — the Prague-Electra (Pectra) update, expected to go live in the first quarter of 2025.

Vitalik Buterin outlined key directions for developing Ethereum, including transaction speed acceleration, security enhancement, and improved user accessibility.