Ethereum Layer 1 to Grow Tenfold in a Year, Buterin Declares
At ETHGlobal Prague, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin reiterated that the Ethereum Layer 1 blockchain will be scaled approximately tenfold within the next 12 months. The significant increase in throughput is an important step along Ethereum’s long-term upgrade roadmap to address scalability without compromising decentralization.
We should be scaling L1 at about 10x in the next year and a bit,” Buterin stated in a panel.
A Gingerly but Ambitious Scaling Plan
Buterin pointed out that scaling should happen safely. He stated that it is absolutely necessary to increase block sizes and throughput but the upgrade must not sacrifice the decentralization of the network.
He spoke of a considerate timeline where, after the anticipated upgrade, Ethereum will then embark on a “pause period” to evaluate the effects and refine the network.
“At that stage, it’ll be time to take a break and ensure that we are truly doing alright on decentralization properties,” he said.
Why This Upgrade Matters
Ethereum’s Layer 1 scaling is at the heart of making Layer 2 solutions work better. Buterin explained how extra block space would make rollups and other Layer 2 tools more efficient and secure.
In a second interview with cLabs CTO Marek Olszewski, Buterin repeated that these upgrades are intended for the whole ecosystem—though they will have beneficial impacts on Ethereum’s base protocol.
“Scaling block sizes on Layer 1 creates more space and enables Layer 2 solutions to operate safely and efficiently,” he added.
Market Reaction
Ethereum (ETH) was quite calm following the news, gaining a modest 0.03% to trade slightly above $2,500. The token continues to be down around 10% from its recent high, showing muted short-term market reaction despite long-term consequences of the news.
