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Buterin Sets 'Walkaway Test' for Ethereum, Urges Immediate Quantum Readiness

He calls for an ossifiable base layer that treats upgrades as optional.

Overview

  • Buterin says Ethereum should remain safe, predictable, and useful even if core developers stop maintaining it.
  • He advocates adopting post-quantum cryptography now to guarantee long-term safety, though some warn it could cut throughput.
  • He points to zkEVM validation and PeerDAS data-availability sampling as the scaling path that relies on parameter changes rather than repeated hard forks, with PeerDAS live and zkEVMs in alpha.
  • His checklist includes durable state management, a more general account model beyond enshrined ECDSA, and a gas schedule hardened against denial-of-service risks including in zero-knowledge proving.
  • He says proof-of-stake economics must stay decentralized and block production should resist centralization and censorship to preserve credible neutrality.