PeerDAS and ZK-EVM Upgrades Signal Major Breakthrough for Scalability and Decentralization
Ethereum is entering a decisive phase after years of research and development aimed at overcoming the blockchain trilemma — the long-standing challenge of achieving scalability, security, and decentralization simultaneously. According to Ethereum’s co-founder, recent and upcoming protocol upgrades indicate that this balance is no longer theoretical but actively being implemented on the network.
The introduction of Peer Data Availability Sampling (PeerDAS) marks a major leap forward. This upgrade allows Ethereum to process significantly more data without increasing hardware requirements for node operators. Importantly, data availability sampling is already live on mainnet, enabling higher throughput while preserving decentralization.
Buterin emphasized the potential of peer data availability sampling (PeerDAS) and Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines (ZK-EVMs):
Alongside PeerDAS, Zero-Knowledge Ethereum Virtual Machines (ZK-EVMs) are advancing rapidly. These systems allow transactions and blocks to be verified using cryptographic proofs rather than full re-execution. While currently considered performance-ready but security-incomplete, ZK-EVMs are expected to see early network adoption in 2026, with broader use over the following years.
Planned upgrades between 2026 and 2030 include gas limit increases, execution changes, and ZK-EVM-based block validation. Together, these steps aim to safely scale Ethereum while maintaining strong security guarantees.After nearly a decade of development, Ethereum appears closer than ever to resolving the scalability vs. security vs. decentralization trade-off, transforming the network into a more powerful and practical decentralized system.
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