Ethereum Maps Out Its Biggest Post-Merge Overhaul

CoinMarketCap cites overseas reports saying Ethereum is preparing its most sweeping core redesign since the Merge. Based on direction recently outlined by Vitalik Buterin, the next three to four years could see a phased replacement of major building blocks, including the network's validation approach, cryptographic schemes, storage design and execution engine. Existing applications are expected to retain backward compatibility where possible. Branded as "Lean Ethereum," the effort is described as a multi-year rewrite rather than a single upgrade. The plan arrives as ether remains well below its prior peak and after the Ethereum Foundation completed budget and staffing reductions, increasing attention on the project's ability to execute. Recursive STARKs move to center stage A central shift in the roadmap is moving Ethereum from a model where "all nodes re-execute transactions" toward "verification via proofs." Buterin has pointed to recursive STARKs as the technical foundation: one machine performs heavy computation, while other nodes verify a compact proof instead of replaying every transaction. Proponents argue this could reduce node load and improve confirmation speed, while also reshaping Ethereum's security model. Storage and execution layers slated for redesign The roadmap also targets Ethereum's storage model. Buterin said growth in existing state data would be capped, alongside the introduction of a new low-cost storage layer. Tokens, NFTs and some DeFi applications could opt to migrate to the new layer in exchange for lower fees, while protocols with deeper state dependencies could remain on the current structure. Buterin expects the new storage layer to cut usage costs to less than one-tenth of current levels and materially expand the amount of data the network can support. On execution, Ethereum is also discussing a long-term path beyond the EVM. Candidate directions mentioned include RISC-V and leanISA. Under this approach, the EVM could eventually become a compatibility layer so existing applications would not need immediate rewrites. Quantum security moves up the agenda Overseas coverage says the most visible change in the roadmap is the elevated priority of quantum resistance. Buterin indicated post-quantum security requirements are now being integrated across multiple layers rather than treated as a distant issue. The report notes that several key components—user signatures, the BLS aggregation used in the consensus layer and the KZG commitment mechanism tied to blob data—share exposure to similar risks. The roadmap targets broader post-quantum coverage by 2029. The report adds that migrating to post-quantum primitives is not a simple swap: post-quantum signatures and proofs tend to be larger and more expensive, requiring coordinated work with STARK-based verification layers and gas design to avoid materially higher network costs. Near-term upgrades continue In the meantime, Ethereum is expected to keep scaling through regular upgrades, including raising the gas limit, expanding blob capacity and refining block production timing. The report says Glamsterdam is expected to deliver a meaningful gas increase. Hegota, slated for later this year, could be the last routine upgrade before the Lean Ethereum phase. According to foreign media, the core question is less about ambition and more about whether Ethereum can coordinate simultaneous changes to verification, storage, execution and cryptography amid organizational downsizing and intensifying competition. For developers and institutional users, the outcome may shape whether Ethereum can retain its role as a foundational network in the years ahead.