Buterin Targets Ethereum Bottlenecks for Zero-Knowledge Scalability

Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin is calling for a fundamental overhaul of the network's core architecture, arguing that more than 80% of proving costs stem from two deep-layer components, the state tree and the virtual machine. According to Buterin, these bottlenecks must be redesigned if the protocol is to scale through zero-knowledge technology.

The solution proposed by Buterin involves replacing Ethereum's current hexary Merkle Patricia tree with a simpler binary tree design, which would produce Merkle proofs roughly four times shorter than the existing structure. This change would cut verification bandwidth and make lightweight clients far cheaper to run.

Buterin also outlined a longer-term vision to move past the Ethereum Virtual Machine altogether in favor of a RISC-V-based architecture. He described a phased deployment, starting with precompiles powered by RISC-V, followed by user-deployed contracts, and eventually absorbing the EVM as a compatibility layer.

However, not everyone agrees that the network needs more deep-layer changes. Analyst DBCrypto criticized what he described as growing abstraction across the Ethereum roadmap, arguing that each additional layer increases complexity, introduces trust assumptions, and creates potential attack surfaces.