Buterin Calls for Ethereum Core Overhaul to Boost Zero-Knowledge Scaling

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has called for a major overhaul of the network's core architecture, citing two deep-layer components that are causing more than 80% of proving costs.

The proposed changes would replace Ethereum's current hexary Merkle Patricia tree with a simpler binary tree design, reducing verification bandwidth and making lightweight clients cheaper to run. This change could result in shorter Merkle proofs, potentially saving over 10,000 gas per transaction.

Buterin also outlined a longer-term vision to move away from the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) altogether in favor of a RISC-V-based architecture, which would first power precompiles and eventually absorb the EVM as a compatibility layer.

However, not everyone agrees with Buterin's proposal. Analyst DBCrypto criticized the growing abstraction across the Ethereum roadmap, arguing that each additional layer increases complexity and introduces potential attack surfaces.