• Vitalik Buterin proposes transitioning Ethereum to a RISC-V-based execution layer to improve performance and future-proof the network.
• Base-layer transaction and blob fees have dropped sharply as users migrate to layer-2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism.
• Replacing the EVM with RISC-V could take years and require rebuilding core infrastructure from scratch.

Ethereum’s co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a dramatic shift to the network’s core technology stack. In April 2025, Buterin introduced the idea of replacing Ethereum’s existing virtual machine (EVM) with a new execution environment built on the RISC-V instruction set architecture, a radical leap toward a faster, leaner, and more flexible blockchain.

RISC-V, an open-source processor architecture celebrated for its modularity and efficiency, could become the beating heart of Ethereum’s next phase if the community dares to follow through. Buterin argues that the switch would not only streamline execution but also bring ETH up to speed with high-performance rivals like Solana and Sui.

“Radical changes of this kind could be the only way to drive similar improvements for the execution layer,” Buterin wrote, referencing Ethereum’s long-standing struggles with performance and scalability.

Buterin’s proposal arrives at a moment of existential pressure for Ethereum. Transaction fees the main revenue driver for the network, have cratered to their lowest point since 2020. In April 2025, base-layer transactions averaged just $0.16 apiece, as users increasingly favor cheaper, faster layer-2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism.

Blob fees, a fee mechanism introduced to support Ethereum’s layer-2 scaling solutions, have plummeted. By the end of March, these fees generated a meager 3.18 ETH for the entire week, roughly $5,000 — a staggering 95% drop from mid-March.

According to analysts, the issue isn’t a lack of user demand but rather a fundamental shift in usage. More and more users are bypassing the mainnet entirely in favor of cost-effective alternatives. As a result, Ethereum’s financial foundation is being quietly undermined by its own scaling solutions.

“Ethereum’s base layer is being cannibalized,” warned Brian Quinlivan, Director of Market Insights at Santiment. “People are shifting to smart contracts and layer-2s that offer lower costs, but that shift means core network activity is thinning.”

The RISC-V transition isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a strategic play to stay competitive in an ecosystem evolving at lightning speed. With zero-knowledge proofs advancing and modular blockchains gaining traction, ETH needs to future-proof its foundation. But that path comes with steep trade-offs.

Buterin acknowledged the hurdles ahead, including better availability sampling, improvements in zero-knowledge (ZK) proving systems, and injecting more competition between block producers. These would need to evolve in tandem with the execution layer to fully unlock Ethereum’s next stage.

RISC-V offers a path to a modular and upgradeable execution layer, but it’s not a plug-and-play solution. Replacing the EVM means rebuilding vast portions of Ethereum’s infrastructure from scratch, a process that could take years, consume enormous resources, and introduce unforeseen risks.

Reactions to the proposal have split the ETH developer community. Supporters hail it as a daring leap that could position Ethereum at the forefront of next-gen blockchain performance. Critics, however, warn that the overhaul would endanger the delicate balance ETH has maintained between innovation and stability.

Concerns over backward compatibility loom large. Migrating thousands of existing smart contracts to a RISC-V-based architecture poses complex technical challenges and could trigger major disruptions for dApps and protocols that rely on the EVM. Still, many in the community agree on one thing: Ethereum cannot stand still.

“Ethereum needs to evolve to survive,” one developer posted on the ETH Magicians forum. “If we don’t take risks, we’ll get left behind by chains that already did.”

A formal ETH Improvement Proposal (EIP) is now circulating for community review. If accepted, it could kick off a multi-year journey to redefine ETH from the inside out.

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