Vitalik Buterin Envisions a Simpler Ethereum, Aiming for Bitcoin’s Elegance

Vitalik Buterin plans to simplify Ethereum to make it as straightforward as Bitcoin. His vision involves optimizing the protocol by phasing out the EVM in favour of a cleaner architecture, reducing technical complexity, and focusing on core improvements. Recent decisions to scrap an EVM upgrade signal a shift back to prioritising the base layer of Ethereum.

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has recently put forward a vision aimed at simplifying the Ethereum blockchain, making it akin to Bitcoin in terms of its elegance and straightforwardness. He believes that in five years, Ethereum could be transformed into something more streamlined and user-friendly. In a blog post published on Friday, Buterin laid out his ambitious plan to strip away years of accumulated complexity in the Ethereum protocol, opting for a cleaner, simpler alternative.

Buterin argues that by prioritising simplicity alongside scalability and security, Ethereum can mitigate rising maintenance costs and security threats, which often stem from overly complicated systems. His ambition is to eventually bring Ethereum closer to the simplicity that Bitcoin embodies, a fundamental shift in approach. Among Buterin’s proposals is a complete overhaul of Ethereum’s consensus mechanism, designed to streamline validator duties and reduce unnecessary code complexity.

On the execution front, he voiced support for moving away from the current Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to a more efficient architecture like RISC-V. This shift, he suggests, could significantly enhance smart contract development and overall performance. He likened this potential transformation to Apple’s implementation of Rosetta, intended to support legacy features while not impeding the core system’s efficacy.

This vision comes on the heels of a strategic shift within the Ethereum Foundation, which has indicated a renewed focus on enhancing the base protocol. After a prolonged period favouring layer 2 solutions, termed rollups, a reorientation to concentrate on the blockchain’s foundational layer has been announced, with new co-directors highlighting the need for better performance, affordability, and user experience.

As part of that shift, Ethereum developers scrapped a planned upgrade to the EVM known as EOF, which was intended for the upcoming Fusaka hard fork. The decision came amid concerns that the upgrade would not deliver sufficient benefits to end-users. In the broader crypto market, Bitcoin has seen a slight decline of 1% in the past 24 hours, trading now at $96,030, while Ethereum is slightly down by 0.5%, hovering at around $1,825.


Buterin’s ambitious goal for Ethereum underscores a growing desire for more robust, easier systems in the crypto landscape. As the community digs further into core improvements and navigates the complexities of blockchain technology, these changes could very well reshape how Ethereum operates for both developers and users alike.