Ethereum Founder Vitalik Buterin Proposes Tweaks to Improve Decentralization and Reduce Consensus Overhead

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Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum, has recently proposed a series of changes aimed at improving the network's staking model. The primary objectives are to enhance decentralization and reduce the computational burden on the consensus layer. The proposal comes as Ethereum faces challenges related to centralization risks and the sheer number of signatures required for consensus. Buterin's proposal could potentially revolutionize the way staking and consensus are approached on the Ethereum network, making it more accessible and efficient.

In the current Ethereum staking model, there are two types of participants: node operators and delegators. Node operators are responsible for running nodes and providing collateral, usually in the form of ETH. Delegators, on the other hand, contribute some amount of ETH but are not required to participate in any other way. This two-tiered staking model has been popularized by staking pools like Rocket Pool and Lido, which offer liquid staking tokens (LSTs). However, Buterin identifies two main issues with this system. First, there is a centralization risk in the mechanisms for choosing node operators, which are either not very decentralized or have other flaws. Second, the Ethereum Layer 1 verifies approximately 800,000 signatures per epoch, a number that could increase, thereby adding a significant computational load to the network.

To address these issues, Buterin suggests that delegators should have a more meaningful role in the network. He outlines two classes of solutions: delegate selection and consensus participation. In the delegate selection model, delegates could choose which node operators they want to support, thereby having a «weight» in the consensus. This would give