Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shared his thoughts on the protocol's evolution after the Merge, emphasizing improvements for proof-of-stake, security, and accessibility.

Reflections on Protocol's Future

On October 14, Vitalik Buterin published a blog post highlighting key areas for Ethereum improvements, such as faster transaction speeds, enhanced security, and greater accessibility for solo stakers. The Merge in 2022 was a significant transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. Buterin noted the need to reduce transaction completion time from the current 15 minutes and suggested exploring solutions like single-slot finality.

Enhancing Network Security

Buterin stressed the importance of protecting Ethereum from attacks through a cryptographic technique called single secret leader election, which would make it harder for attackers to disrupt the network. He also suggested investigating ways to improve the protocol's resistance to quantum computing threats and increasing the quorum threshold for recovery from attacks.

Next Steps for Ethereum

The next major upgrade on Ethereum's development roadmap is the Prague-Electra (Pectra) upgrade, scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.

In his blog, Vitalik Buterin proposes significant changes for Ethereum's future aimed at enhancing all protocol aspects and ensuring its long-term sustainability.