Vitalik Buterin’s 4 Secrets to Blockchain Success: You Won’t Believe #3!

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So, there we were, celebrating the latest and greatest in real-time zero-knowledge (ZK) proof generation, when our favorite blockchain wizard, Vitalik Buterin, decided to drop some truth bombs. 🎉 But hold your horses! Ethereum still has a few pesky technical hurdles to leap over before it can strut its stuff in the world of real-time, user-level scalability. 🐴

In a tweet on May 21, 2025, Buterin gave a shout-out to the brilliant minds behind the recent ZK breakthroughs. But wait! He also warned us that the current state of affairs is more like the average case, not the worst case. And let’s be honest, we all know that understanding the worst case is crucial for a safe and scalable L1 operation. 🙄

Here are the four principles he highlighted:

  • Average ≠ Worst Case: Systems need to be tested under worst-case, real-time conditions—not just average performance. Because who doesn’t love a little stress testing? 💪
  • Formal Verification is Missing: Apparently, we’re still waiting for formal verification to join the party. It’s like the bouncer at the club who won’t let anyone in without proper ID. 🕵️‍♂️
  • Proving Efficiency Needs Drastic Improvement: Right now, generating ZK proofs requires about 100 kW of power. But hey, wouldn’t it be nice if we could whip up proofs at home with just 10 kW? Talk about a DIY project! 🏡⚡
  • L1 Gas Limit Must Scale 10–100x: To achieve real scalability, Ethereum and its L1 buddies need to crank up their gas limits by 10x to 100x. But don’t worry, they promise not to compromise decentralization or security. No pressure, right? 😅

Buterin wrapped it all up by giving a high-five to @pumatheuma and their team, while reminding us that there are still “a few steps to the final destination.” Because who doesn’t love a good cliffhanger? 📅

This tweet has ignited a firestorm of discussions about Ethereum’s roadmap, performance benchmarks, and what it will take to deliver a truly scalable decentralized future. Buckle up, folks! 🚀

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2025-05-21 19:25