Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has renewed calls for protocol simplification, arguing that Ethereum should strive for the same elegant simplicity that has long defined Bitcoin, without sacrificing its advanced capabilities.
In a blog post published on May 3, Buterin praised Bitcoin’s minimalist protocol design and urged Ethereum developers to pursue similar clarity and efficiency. “One of the best things about Bitcoin is how beautifully simple the protocol is,” Buterin noted. “This simplicity has many advantages, and those benefits should be brought into Ethereum.”
The Case for Ethereum Simplification
The Ethereum simplification initiative aims to reduce technical overhead, make the system easier to understand, and increase community participation in development. Buterin emphasized that cutting down complexity could also lower the cost of developing new tools, improve long-term maintenance, reduce security risks, and limit vulnerabilities to social manipulation or special interest influence.
According to Buterin, the simplification process should focus on three main components:
- Consensus Layer:
Revamping Ethereum’s consensus mechanisms could increase both efficiency and security. Buterin highlighted features like three-slot finality that could eliminate complicated elements such as epochs and slots. Additionally, using STARK-based aggregation could help build trustless systems while minimizing complexity. - Execution Layer:
The Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) has grown unwieldy and unnecessarily complicated, Buterin claimed. He proposed replacing it with RISC-V or another simpler virtual machine architecture. Doing so could bring massive performance boosts—up to 100x improvements—while simplifying specs and allowing for better developer experiences. - Cross-Layer Standardization:
Buterin argued for unified standards across the consensus and execution layers, saying, “There should ideally only be one way we do something, across the consensus, execution, and other layers.” Standardization could significantly reduce the total complexity of the protocol stack.
In his conclusion, Buterin likened the pursuit of simplicity to that of decentralization—a difficult but ultimately rewarding endeavor. “Caring about simplicity is, like decentralization, a short-term cost for the sake of benefits that do not appear immediately.”
Ethereum Price Struggles Amid Investor Shift
Despite the promising roadmap and long-term vision, Ethereum (ETH) faces short-term price pressures. In April, Ethereum’s market dominance fell to an all-time low of 7%, reflecting declining investor interest.
ETH is trading just above $1,800, dipping below that level during early Asian trading on Monday. The token remains down 63% from its 2021 all-time high, underperforming Bitcoin, which is only 13% below its peak earlier this year.
Nevertheless, market analysts are optimistic. With Ethereum’s new roadmap, upcoming upgrades, and Buterin’s push for protocol simplicity, many believe ETH is well-positioned for a mid-to-long-term recovery.
