Ethereum’s proof-of-stake design may offer it a stronger defense against attacks than Bitcoin’s proof-of-work system, according to recent insights from leading researchers in the crypto space.

Justin Drake, a prominent Ethereum researcher, has drawn attention to the comparative costs of launching a 51% attack on both networks. Based on his analysis, compromising Bitcoin’s blockchain could theoretically cost around $10 billion—substantially less than the estimated $45 billion required to disrupt Ethereum, where the attack would require acquiring a majority of the staked ETH.

This difference, Drake suggests, gives Ethereum a superior long-term security posture, particularly as staking volume grows alongside the network.

His perspective aligns with that of Grant Hummer, co-founder of Etherealize, who also weighed in on the issue. Hummer warned that Bitcoin’s security budget is diminishing, making it increasingly vulnerable as block rewards decline.

He projected that within the next decade, the cost of attacking the Bitcoin network could drop to as low as $2 billion—making such a breach far more feasible for a well-funded adversary.

Hummer emphasized that Ethereum’s more robust economic model and validator infrastructure offer greater protection for critical on-chain data. In his view, Ethereum is better positioned to serve as a decentralized store of value on the internet, thanks to its expanding validator set and high stake-backed security.

As concerns grow around Bitcoin’s long-term sustainability without rising transaction fees, Ethereum advocates argue that staking-based consensus is better suited to handle future network demands without compromising resilience.