Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a brand new framework for Layer-2 (L2) rollup safety that might convey sooner finality and stronger belief ensures to Ethereum’s scaling ecosystem.
In a current proposal, Buterin outlined a roadmap constructed round a hybrid-proof structure that mixes zero-knowledge proofs, optimistic rollups, and trusted execution environments (TEEs) whereas avoiding overreliance on any single system.
The proposal arrives as Ethereum’s L2 panorama matures. A number of rollups have reached Stage 1 on Ethereum’s scaling roadmap, and upcoming upgrades — like Pectra and Fusaka — are anticipated to considerably broaden the supply of information blobs for rollup use.
Buterin stated the main focus is now on pushing these rollups to Stage 2, which requires a better diploma of trustlessness and sooner transaction finality. Within the brief time period, he believes essentially the most strong method is a three-prover system, the place two out of three mechanisms should validate a rollup’s state root to realize finality.
Below this mannequin, if each a ZK prover and a TEE prover approve a state root, the result’s finalized instantly. If just one approves, the system falls again to an optimistic mannequin that requires a seven-day problem interval.
The optimistic layer acts as a closing arbiter, stopping semi-trusted programs from overriding choices when extra trustless programs disagree.
Trustless finality
Buterin emphasised that this structure is rigorously designed to fulfill the precise safety and decentralization targets outlined for Stage 2 rollups.
It offers quick finality in regular operations, ensures that trust-minimized proof programs can’t be overridden by semi-trusted parts, and reduces dependence on the present technology of ZK programs, which stay weak to bugs and shared-code exploits.
He additionally launched a mechanism for a safety council to function a safeguard. This council would be capable of instantly improve the TEE logic in case of failure and make delayed modifications to the ZK or optimistic programs.
In uncommon situations — similar to provers producing contradicting outcomes — the council would have the authority to intervene immediately, preserving system integrity.
In line with Buterin, this mixture — one ZK prover, one optimistic prover, and one TEE — represents the one viable method to obtain Ethereum’s Stage 2 targets with out sacrificing velocity or safety.
ZK and OP programs are based mostly on basically totally different mathematical assumptions, making the probability of shared vulnerabilities extraordinarily low. As such, pairing them with a TEE strikes a sensible steadiness that’s unlikely to fail in tandem.
Scaling with Blobs and aggregated proofs
Trying past proof structure, Buterin additionally addressed Ethereum’s evolving information layer. He pointed to the Pectra improve, anticipated inside a number of weeks, which can improve blob area to 6 models per block.
A subsequent improve, Fusaka, might increase that quantity to as many as 72, drastically increasing the info bandwidth out there to rollups. Extra blob area reduces congestion and makes L2 transactions cheaper and extra scalable.
The roadmap additionally known as consideration to a lacking piece in Ethereum’s infrastructure: a standardized, ecosystem-wide proof aggregation layer. Buterin argued that functions throughout the Ethereum stack — from rollups and privateness protocols to pockets restoration instruments — shouldn’t need to submit particular person zero-knowledge proofs.
As a substitute, a shared aggregation mechanism would permit all such functions to mix their outputs right into a single, unified proof. This might dramatically decrease gasoline prices by spreading the roughly 500,000 gasoline burden of proof submission throughout all individuals.
Buterin famous that the Ethereum neighborhood is already on observe to provide ZK-EVMs able to producing proofs inside a single slot, even beneath worst-case circumstances.
As these programs mature and get rid of important bugs, TEEs might ultimately be phased out fully. In that state of affairs, Ethereum rollups would obtain full trustlessness, with on the spot finality and 0 reliance on semi-trusted parts.
