Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin recently shared the latest 2024 roadmap via Twitter, highlighting continued evolution of the network's architecture with fewer changes than previous years. This year's focus centers on enhancing Rollups integration and overall Ethereum performance to compete with rival chains' TPS advantages.
Vitalik Updates Ethereum Roadmap
The 2024 Ethereum roadmap maintains its six-phase parallel development structure:
- The Merge: Transitioned consensus from Proof-of-Work (PoW) to Proof-of-Stake (PoS).
- The Surge: Rollups implementation for scalability targeting 100,000 TPS (via EIP-4844).
- The Scourge: Addressing MEV and liquid staking centralization issues.
- The Verge: Streamlining block verification with SNARK-powered Verkle Trees replacing Merkle Trees.
- The Purge: Protocol simplification through EIP-4444 to reduce node participation costs.
- The Splurge: Miscellaneous enhancements including account abstraction (ERC-4337) and EVM optimization.
The Merge
Half-completed with Ethereum's 2021 PoS transition, the remaining focus is achieving sub-15-second transaction finality through Single Slot Finality (SSF). Current finality takes ~15 minutes (64-95 slots), creating practical application hurdles.
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SSF implementation remains under discussion, prioritizing after Danksharding upgrades. Potential solutions include raising staking thresholds or validator committees—both requiring careful centralization balance.
The Surge
Ethereum shifts from state sharding to Rollups-centric scaling, targeting 100,000 TPS while positioning mainnet as settlement layer. Key 2023 progress includes:
- EIP-4844 (Proto-Dank Sharding) near deployment
- Blob data storage reducing Layer2 costs
- Ongoing work on Rollup standards, data availability, and zkEVM development
The Scourge
This new phase tackles PoS economic challenges:
- MEV Solutions: Proposal-Builder Separation (PBS) for transparent MEV markets, with interim tools like MEV-Boost
- Liquid Staking: Exploring hard caps to mitigate centralization risks
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The Verge
Verkle Trees enable stateless clients, allowing nodes to validate blocks without full transaction history—significantly reducing hardware requirements and boosting decentralization. Future zk-SNARK integration may enhance quantum resistance.
The Purge
EIP-4444 introduces state expiry, permitting clients to prune >1-year-old data while archiving complete records on decentralized storage like Arweave. Currently deprioritized as Verkle Trees may sufficiently reduce node demands.
The Splurge
This "polishing" phase addresses peripheral improvements:
- Account abstraction (ERC-4337) for UX
- EVM optimization
- Emerging additions like VDFs and encrypted mempools
Ethereum's Maturing Ecosystem
The roadmap reflects growing consensus on Ethereum's direction as a global settlement layer, evident through:
- Prioritized Rollups integration over mainnet TPS
- Persistent decentralization efforts via node requirement reductions
- Clear transition from "world computer" to settlement-focused vision
Key challenges remain regarding liquid staking centralization and SSF implementation details, but core architecture decisions appear solidified.
FAQ: Ethereum's 2024 Roadmap
Q1: What's the main focus of Ethereum's 2024 upgrades?
A: Enhancing Rollups performance and integration (EIP-4844) while improving transaction finality speed.
Q2: How does EIP-4844 benefit Layer2 solutions?
A: By switching from calldata to blob storage, it significantly reduces transaction submission costs for Rollups.
Q3: What problems does The Scourge phase address?
A: MEV exploitation risks and liquid staking provider centralization in PoS systems.
Q4: How will Verkle Trees improve Ethereum?
A: They enable stateless validation, allowing nodes to operate with less storage and lower hardware requirements.
Q5: When will EIP-4444 (state expiry) be implemented?
A: Currently deprioritized as Verkle Trees may achieve similar goals, with no immediate deployment timeline.
Q6: Why is Ethereum shifting from "world computer" to "settlement layer"?
A: Specializing in security and decentralization while letting Rollups handle scaling proves more sustainable long-term.
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