Vitalik Buterin Announces Proposal To Make Ethereum PoS Simpler

Ethereum's co-founder, Vitalik Buterin has recently proposed to ease the workload on the Ethereum Blockchain. On December 28, Vitalik suggested reducing validator signatures to make the network's proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus simpler and lighter.

Despite Ethereum having about 895,000 validators with the aim of decentralization and public participation in staking, it still results in processing around 28,000 signatures per slot, causing a high load.

This heavy load leads to technical challenges like limited quantum resistance and complex scaling solutions using zero-knowledge proofs (SNARKs). Also, the fact that users need a minimum of 32 ETH to become a validator is a problem, the minimum requirement is too high for many people.

In his proposal, Buterin recommended lowering the number of signatures to about 8,192 per slot. This change would simplify the system, improve quantum resistance, and keep a high amount of ETH at stake for security.

He proposed three solutions: decentralized staking pools, a two-tiered staking system, and rotating participation with accountable committees. These solutions are expected to help manage the digital signature load better.

By setting a manageable signature load, Ethereum's future development becomes easier and more predictable. Buterin mentioned that any increase in signatures per slot should only happen when future developers are sure the technology can handle it without problems. In May, he warned about the risks of overloading Ethereum's core functions.