Bitrabo Editorial
In a blog entry published on October 14, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, discussed possible advancements for the Ethereum protocol with a particular focus on technical upgrades to its proof-of-stake (PoS) framework. The article, titled “Possible futures of the Ethereum protocol, part 1: The Merge,” examines strategies to enhance stability, performance, and user accessibility while tackling centralization threats.
Initially, Buterin reflects on Ethereum’s notable shift from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, referred to as “The Merge,” which occurred nearly two years ago. He acknowledged that “the proof of stake has excelled in terms of stability, performance, and minimizing centralization risks,” but pointed out that there are still key improvement areas necessary for the PoS system.
Proposed Improvements for Ethereum
A central theme of the post is the ambition to achieve single-slot finality and lower the minimum staking requirement to broaden user participation in the network. Presently, it requires 2-3 epochs (about 15 minutes) to finalize a block, along with a minimum stake of 32 ETH to become a validator. Buterin notes the tension between lowering the staking threshold, speeding up finalization, and minimizing the overhead for nodes.
He stated, “Currently, it takes 2-3 epochs (~15 min) to finalize a block, and a minimum of 32 ETH is needed to stake.” He envisions finalizing blocks in a single slot and allowing validator stakes as low as 1 ETH, pointing out that “polls consistently reveal that the primary barrier for more individuals to solo stake is the 32 ETH requirement.”
To tackle these obstacles, Buterin proposes several solutions. One involves adopting improved signature aggregation protocols, potentially utilizing zero-knowledge proofs (ZK-SNARKs), to handle signatures from millions of validators within each slot. Another method is the creation of Orbit Committees—randomly chosen medium-sized groups that finalize the chain while managing the attack-cost dynamics. He elaborates, “Orbit leverages the existing variability in validator deposit sizes to maximize economic finality, while still ensuring small validators have an important role.”
Buterin also considers a dual-tier staking model with varying deposit needs, where only the group with higher deposits directly influences economic finality. He cautions that “the associated risks largely depend on the specific rights designated for the lower-tier stakers,” acknowledging that certain configurations could lead to increased centralization.
To mitigate security threats from Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks targeting known validators, he suggests applying Single Secret Leader Election (SSLE) protocols. “The most effective solution to the DoS issue is to obscure which validator will create the next block until the block is produced,” he noted.
SSLE protocols utilize cryptographic methods to generate “blinded” validator IDs, ensuring that only the holder of a blinded ID can create a valid proof to propose a block while concealing their identity. Buterin, however, recognizes the complications: “We value the simplicity of Ethereum as a protocol, and increasing complexity is undesirable. SSLE implementations we’ve observed add significant lines of specification code and introduce new cryptographic assumptions that complicate things.”
He also explored ways to cut Ethereum’s transaction confirmation time from the current 12 seconds to as little as 4 seconds. He stresses the benefit of shorter confirmation times for user experience and support for decentralized Layer 2 solutions. Proposed approaches include reducing slot durations and allowing proposers to issue pre-confirmations throughout a slot. However, Buterin warns about the inherent centralization risks and the necessity of appropriate incentives, indicating that “if we implement an attester-proposer separation, execution blocks will not require SSLE since we could depend on specialized block builders.”
Buterin touches on other notable issues, including recovery from a 51% attack. He mentions that while full automation is unachievable, “we can attain partial automation […] ensuring that attackers do not secure a swift and easy victory.” He proposes raising the quorum threshold for block finalization from 67% to 80% for added security, suggesting that “this creates a healthier scenario than an instant win for ‘the wrong side.’”
In his post’s conclusion, Buterin highlights the need to prepare against potential threats from quantum computers that could compromise present cryptographic safeguards: “This necessitates a cautious approach to the performance assumptions of proof-of-stake designs and underlines the urgency to develop quantum-resistant alternatives.”
As of the latest update, ETH is valued at $2,524.
