Vitalik Buterin Urges Ethereum to Follow Bitcoin’s Minimalist Design Model

Source Beincrypto

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has urged the blockchain community to rethink the network’s design approach, pushing for a more minimalist and efficient structure.

In a blog post published on May 3, Buterin argued that Ethereum should adopt a simpler protocol model, similar to Bitcoin’s, to improve efficiency, scalability, and security.

Buterin Touts Bitcoin’s Simplicity

Buterin described Ethereum’s current system as overly complex, warning that its technical depth increases costs, isolates research efforts, and raises the likelihood of serious bugs.

The Ethereum co-founder also emphasized that the current design centralizes too much control among a small group of technically advanced contributors. He argued that this approach undermines the network’s decentralization ethos.

To address these challenges, Buterin proposes simplifying the protocol across all network layers over the next five years. So, he suggests Ethereum draws inspiration from Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.

“Even a smart high school student is capable of fully wrapping their head around and understanding the Bitcoin protocol. A programmer is capable of writing a client as a hobby project,” Buterin wrote.

According to Buterin, simplifying the protocol will make Ethereum more resilient, reduce infrastructure costs, and lower the entry barrier for developers.

He also concluded that simplicity should be treated as a core value, much like decentralization. He believes Ethereum must prioritize design choices that promote clarity, robustness, and long-term sustainability.

How Can Ethereum Reduce its Complexity?

To achieve this vision, Buterin highlighted three key areas where Ethereum can reduce complexity.

First, he recommended changes to the consensus layer, particularly by streamlining the finality system and reducing the number of validators. These steps, he said, would lower operational costs and speed up network consensus.

He pointed out that the consensus layer is loosely coupled with Ethereum’s execution system. This separation gives developers more flexibility to implement improvements without breaking core functionality.

“The nice thing about the consensus layer is that it is relatively disconnected from EVM execution, which means that there is a relatively wide latitude to continue to make these types of improvements,” Buterin said.

The second is focused on overhauling the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).

To do this, Buterin recommends introducing RISC-V, a simpler and more efficient computing architecture, as an alternative execution option. He also envisions a future where developers can write contracts using RISC-V alongside the EVM.

Vitalik Buterin's Proposal on Simplifying Ethereum's L1.Vitalik Buterin’s Proposal on Simplifying Ethereum’s L1. Source: Buterin

Additionally, he suggested replacing precompiles with a canonical on-chain implementation. He also proposed building a RISC-V-based EVM interpreter to support future upgrades with better maintainability.

Lastly, he called for standardization across protocol components. Instead of using different tools for similar functions, Ethereum could adopt one erasure code, serialization format, and Merkle tree. This unified approach would help reduce redundancy and enhance the network’s clarity.

“There is typically very little or no benefit to using different protocols to do the same thing in different places, but such patterns appear anyway, largely because different parts of protocol roadmapping don’t talk to each other,” Buterin pointed out.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
BNB Price Finds Its Footing — Can Bulls Ignite the Next Leg Up?BNB price is consolidating above the $640 support zone. The price is now showing positive signs and might aim for more gains in the near term. BNB price is attempting to recover from the $640 support
Author  FXStreet
5 Month 16 Day Fri
BNB price is consolidating above the $640 support zone. The price is now showing positive signs and might aim for more gains in the near term. BNB price is attempting to recover from the $640 support
placeholder
EUR/USD Price Forecast: Seems vulnerable below 1.1200, 200-period SMA on H4 holds the keyThe EUR/USD pair ticks higher at the start of a new week amid a softer US Dollar (USD), though it lacks bullish conviction and remains below the 1.1200 round figure through the Asian session.
Author  FXStreet
5 Month 19 Day Mon
The EUR/USD pair ticks higher at the start of a new week amid a softer US Dollar (USD), though it lacks bullish conviction and remains below the 1.1200 round figure through the Asian session.
placeholder
Solana (SOL) Aims Higher With Strong Buyer Support, Next Stop $200?Solana started a fresh increase from the $165 zone. SOL price is now gaining pace and might aim for more gains above the $180 zone. SOL price started a fresh increase above the $170 level against the
Author  NewsBTC
5 Month 22 Day Thu
Solana started a fresh increase from the $165 zone. SOL price is now gaining pace and might aim for more gains above the $180 zone. SOL price started a fresh increase above the $170 level against the
placeholder
XRP Price Bounces Back — Can It Reclaim Key Resistance Levels?XRP price started a consolidation phase above the $2.250 zone. The price is now rising and might aim for an upside break above $2.350. XRP price started a decent increase above the $2.30 zone. The
Author  NewsBTC
5 Month 26 Day Mon
XRP price started a consolidation phase above the $2.250 zone. The price is now rising and might aim for an upside break above $2.350. XRP price started a decent increase above the $2.30 zone. The
placeholder
EUR/USD gathers strength to near 1.1400 as Trump delays EU tariffsThe EUR/USD pair trades in positive territory near 1.1395 during the Asian trading hours on Tuesday. The Euro (EUR) edges higher to the highest since late April against the US Dollar (USD) after US President Donald Trump delayed the imposition of 50% tariffs on Europe.
Author  FXStreet
22 hours ago
The EUR/USD pair trades in positive territory near 1.1395 during the Asian trading hours on Tuesday. The Euro (EUR) edges higher to the highest since late April against the US Dollar (USD) after US President Donald Trump delayed the imposition of 50% tariffs on Europe.
goTop
quote