Ethereum is consistently improving its proof-of-stake mechanism, aiming to increase its efficiency and accessibility. Discussions include lowering the entry barrier for stakers and achieving single-slot finality.

Easing Access to Ethereum Staking

Ethereum is considering lowering the minimum staking requirement from 32 ETH to 1 ETH, which could significantly simplify participation for individual stakers. This change is aimed at democratizing access to the system, increasing network participation.

Accelerating Block Finalization

Proposals like single-slot finality aim to reduce transaction finalization time to mere seconds. This is achievable through new technologies like signature aggregation and the use of ZK-SNARKs and orbit committees, allowing increases in efficiency without compromising security.

Comparing Attack Costs and Network Security

The primary goal remains ensuring economic finality, where any attack attempts on the network remain costly for attackers. Orbit committees could lower attack costs by a factor of ten while maintaining high security.

These changes might make Ethereum more competitive compared to other blockchains, providing faster transaction capabilities. However, developers must consider the balance between security, decentralization, and performance.