In a major step forward for Ethereum’s scaling ambitions, the protocol has made significant progress on its “rollup-centric roadmap” with the introduction of “The Surge“. This latest phase aims to achieve over 100,000 transactions per second (TPS) on Ethereum’s Layer 1 and Layer 2 networks, while preserving the decentralization and robustness that have defined the blockchain.
Key to this effort is the advancement of data availability sampling (DAS) techniques, which allow nodes to verify the availability of transaction data without needing to download the entire blockchain. The introduction of “PeerDAS” and “SubnetDAS” represent important milestones, with the former enabling nodes to efficiently sample data from multiple network subnets, and the latter providing a more conservative approach for nodes participating in Ethereum‘s proof-of-stake consensus.
Additionally, the roadmap includes efforts to further compress transaction data on Layer 2 networks, leveraging techniques such as signature aggregation and custom serialization. This data compression, combined with DAS, aims to unlock massive scalability without compromising Ethereum’s core properties of trustlessness, openness, and censorship resistance.
Another focus area is the maturation of Layer 2 proof systems, with the goal of achieving fully trustless rollups that can operate without the need for a centralized “security council” to override the proof system. Formal verification and the use of multi-prover architectures are two promising approaches being explored to bolster the reliability and security of these Layer 2 solutions.
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, emphasized the importance of these efforts, stating, “The rollup-centric roadmap proposes a simple division of labor: the Ethereum L1 focuses on being a robust and decentralized base layer, while L2s take on the task of helping the ecosystem scale. This is a pattern that recurs everywhere in society, and we are working to bring this vision to fruition.”
As Ethereum continues its quest for scalability, “The Surge” represents a significant milestone, showcasing the protocol’s commitment to expanding its capabilities while preserving its core principles of decentralization and security. With these advancements, Ethereum aims to cement its position as a leading blockchain platform capable of supporting a wide range of high-throughput applications and use cases.
