Buterin proposes radical changes to Ethereum to reduce hardware requirements.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin unveils “The Verge,” the latest roadmap step that proposes groundbreaking changes in blockchain technology that will enable previously unimaginable transaction verification on devices as small as a smartwatch. I did it.
In a detailed blog post on October 23, Buterin explained that “The Verge” combines two key innovations: stateless clients and cryptographic SNARKs (Succinct Non-interactive Arguments of Knowledge).
stateless client
The stateless client is designed to act as a full validation node, requiring only a few gigabytes of storage without extensive hardware. This approach contrasts with the current Ethereum blockchain, where running a full node in excess of 1TB is highly resource-intensive.
By reducing storage requirements, stateless clients can lower the barrier to entry by allowing more individuals to participate in network verification.
Buterin also highlighted the role of SNARKs in improving cryptographic verification. This is an advanced cryptographic proof that allows users to verify data without downloading the entire blockchain.
This suggests that SNARK could allow users to efficiently verify transactions with minimal resources, potentially on wearables or other small devices.
He summarized it this way:
“Download some data, check the SNARKs, and you’re done.”
Decentralized Conservation
Ethereum’s overall roadmap is part of Buterin’s vision to scale the network while maintaining decentralization. The roadmap is currently at stage 4.
Previous phases include “The Merge,” which converted Ethereum to a proof-of-stake (PoS) system, and “The Surge,” which scaled the network to handle up to 100,000 transactions per second, primarily through layer 2 rollup and sharding.
“The Verge” builds on this foundation with a focus on improving accessibility for validators. Buterin’s goal is to democratize network participation by reducing hardware requirements and ensure that decentralization is not hindered by expensive setups.
Buterin’s roadmap demonstrates the platform’s long-term potential to meet growing demand while maintaining its core principles of decentralization and accessibility. With “The Verge,” Ethereum is one step closer to achieving its goal of becoming a highly scalable, user-friendly, and decentralized global platform.
