Ethereum, led by an indefatigable Vitalik Buterin, wants to be anything but dull. On all fronts, this blockchain is under attack, but on each one, it fights back. While Solana accelerates and ZK-rollups take root, Ethereum is preparing a radical transformation. A silent but powerfully structured mutation: the zkEVM at layer 1. Behind this acronym lies a colossal challenge: to reaffirm the supremacy of a blockchain that refuses to be overtaken. The countdown has begun.

The Protocol’s Muscle: Why This zkEVM Impresses Insiders

zkEVM. Three letters that sound like a racing engine. Rightly so: Ethereum plans to graft this module directly onto the layer 1 of the protocol. A revolution. Instead of re-executing every transaction, validators will be able to verify compact cryptographic proofs. A game-changing advance. According to Sophia Gold from the Ethereum Foundation:

This system will allow Ethereum to verify blocks via three independent proofs, without re-executing any calculation. It guarantees 128-bit security, with less than 300 KiB per proof.

The plan spans one year. Initially optional, the zkEVM client could become mandatory once the majority is convinced. All on hardware costing a maximum of $100,000, consuming less than 10 kW. A design intended to include individual validators in the equation.

Blockchain Is War: Ethereum Strikes Back at Solana & Co

This technological shift does not happen in a vacuum. Ethereum is under constant pressure: independent rollups, aggressive Layer 2s, and competing blockchains betting everything on scalability. The time for comfort is over.

The stake is clear: to remain central in the blockchain universe. With the native zkEVM, Ethereum cuts the ground from under the feet of zk-rollups that attached themselves on the periphery. No more need to rely on Polygon, zkSync, or Starknet to benefit from ZK proofs. They are now anchored at the very core of the protocol.

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The strategy also relies on a community dynamic. The Ethereum Foundation launches auditing initiatives, bug bounties, and open standards to unify the entire zkVM ecosystem. And the results are there: multiplied performances, latency melting away, proofs validated in less than 10 seconds.

We want to make Ethereum the world’s largest ZK application. The race is on, and zkVMs must deliver their proofs in real time by Devconnect Argentina.

Sophia Gold – Ethereum Foundation

12 months. Not one more. The announced timeline is clear: by July 2026, Ethereum wants to have switched over. This countdown structures every line of code, every technical standard.

The promise? Native scalability. The block becomes a proof. The validator becomes a verifier. And all of this, without delay. “Real-time proving” demands that 99% of blocks be proven in less than 10 seconds. All on hardware accessible to individuals.

Key numbers to remember:

• 99% of blocks must be proven within 10 seconds to meet the real-time standard;
• Proofs must remain under 300 KiB, with no recursive structure or trusted setup;
• Required hardware must not exceed $100,000 with consumption under 10 kW;
• Minimum security is set at 128 bits, aiming for gradual scaling up.

This new pact between Ethereum and time could make this blockchain the most efficient infrastructure in Web3. In the subtext, a message: scalability is no longer an option, but a necessity.

For Vitalik Buterin, the alarm has already sounded. The era of comfort is over. Ethereum could lose its leadership position if it does not drastically accelerate. The zkEVM then becomes much more than a module: it is a survival strategy, a bet on speed, and a direct counterattack to all who thought Ethereum outdated.