The Ethereum Foundation (EF) announced a shift in its technical strategy, prioritizing security over speed in its zero-knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines (zkEVMs) roadmap. The new strategy, revealed on , mandates a 128-bit provable security standard across the ecosystem by 2026. This decision aims to address systemic risks introduced by the “speed race” of 2025 and cater to the stringent requirements of global financial institutions.
The Ethereum Foundation is implementing a three-phase “Security Sprint” to enhance network security against state forgery and cryptographic attacks:
- The first milestone, targeted for , requires all zkEVM teams to integrate their proof systems with Soundcalc, a new EF tool for measuring cryptographic strength.
- The second phase, aligned with the “Glamsterdam” network upgrade in , mandates teams to achieve at least 100-bit provable security while keeping final proof sizes under 600 kilobytes.
- The final objective, “H-star,” aims for the full 128-bit standard by 2026 and demands formal mathematical arguments validating the soundness of recursion architectures.
This strategic pivot is intended to meet the compliance and risk-management demands of global financial institutions. According to the Ethereum Foundation, a successful attack could allow an attacker to mint tokens or rewrite the chain’s state, posing a significant risk as Ethereum evolves into a global settlement layer. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin stated on that true trustlessness requires a protocol simple enough for a wide range of individuals to understand and verify
. He also suggested the ecosystem should be willing to sacrifice certain features to ensure the core system is fully understood.
The Ethereum Foundation acknowledges that the pursuit of speed in 2025, which reduced proving times from 16 minutes to 16 seconds, introduced systemic risks. The move to prioritize security is also driven by the need to build trust with institutional investors. Buterin identified protocol complexity as a fundamental threat to decentralization.
Details regarding specific user impact, compensation, or refunds related to this strategic shift have not been disclosed. The long-term effects on Ethereum‘s throughput and scalability compared to other platforms like Solana remain to be seen.
Ethereum aims to position itself as a reliable, “enterprise-ready” infrastructure for the future of finance. The successful implementation of the 128-bit security standard will be crucial in attracting institutional adoption and solidifying Ethereum‘s role in the global financial landscape. The Ethereum Foundation will continue to monitor and adapt its strategy based on technological advancements and evolving security challenges.
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