Buterin Unveils Next Steps for Ethereum’s Proof-of-Stake Evolution

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined the next steps in evolving the network’s proof-of-stake (PoS) mechanism, despite the successful completion of the highly anticipated Merge, which transitioned Ethereum from a proof-of-work (PoW) to a PoS model. In a blog post on October 14, Buterin identified key areas for improvement, including reducing centralization risks, improving validator participation, and refining the network’s consensus model.

Buterin highlighted the need for technical and economic upgrades, with one major focus being the reduction of block finalization times through the adoption of single-slot finality. This would bring finalization time from the current 15 minutes down to 12 or even 4 seconds, vastly enhancing user experience for decentralized finance (DeFi) and rollups built on Ethereum.

Another critical change is making staking more accessible. Currently, staking requires a minimum of 32 ETH, equivalent to approximately $81,500. Buterin proposes lowering this threshold to 1 ETH to encourage more solo staking, addressing one of the key barriers limiting participation.

To achieve these changes, Buterin proposed several strategies, including improving signature aggregation with ZK-SNARK technology and introducing “orbit committees,” which would randomly assign medium-sized groups of validators to finalize blocks. Additionally, a two-tier staking model is being explored to allow for different levels of participation, with distinct deposit requirements aimed at making staking more inclusive while maintaining security and economic stability.

Though no concrete timeline was set, Buterin emphasized the importance of developing a solution that balances simplicity with functionality, ensuring Ethereum’s long-term decentralization and efficiency.

source