Vitalik Buterin Aims for Ethereum to Achieve Bitcoin’s Simplicity Within Five Years

Vitalik Buterin, the Co-founder of ETH, has advocated for a reset with a new proposal detailing how in five years, “Ethereum could become nearly as straightforward as BTC.”

Emphasizing the need to streamline the network, Buterin’s blog post from 3 May 2025 – Simplifying the L1 stated, “One of the most commendable attributes of BTC is its impeccably simple protocol.”

“Maintaining simplicity in the network yields numerous advantages essential for either BTC or Ethereum to serve as a credibly neutral and globally accepted foundational layer,” the blog explained.

In Buterin’s view, “Valuing simplicity is akin to decentralization; it entails short-term sacrifices for benefits that may not be immediately visible. However, it will prove rewarding in the long run.”

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Valuing simplicity is akin to decentralization; it entails short-term sacrifices for benefits that may not be immediately visible. However, it will prove rewarding in the long run. Let’s create a structure in which each element of the Ethereum specification can thrive:https://t.co/1yIiWfAbH8

— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) May 3, 2025

Buterin’s communication is unmistakable—if Ethereum aims to continue as the foundation of DeFi and the forthcoming wave of internet services, it must revert to its origins and adopt an approach of extreme simplicity.

He cautioned that “Ethereum has drifted away from simplicity, attempting to overextend itself while accruing technical liabilities,” he contends. Buterin is thus advocating for a significant reset. He referred to Bitcoin’s “impeccably simple protocol” as an example, emphasizing that even an astute high school student can grasp the mechanics of BTC, whereas the complexity of ETH now demands advanced knowledge and specialized teams for management and audits.

The EVM, Ethereum’s execution environment, has become cumbersome and challenging to optimize. Buterin suggests substituting it with RISC-V, a streamlined virtual machine already validated in zero-knowledge cryptography initiatives. “I proposed we replace the EVM with RISC-V, or another VM aligned with the ETH ZK-provers,” Buterin noted.

Buterin also urged for the amalgamation of redundant tools and the adoption of more effective cryptographic techniques, such as unified erasure coding and binary Merkle trees.

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The article Vitalik Buterin Wants Ethereum To Be As Simple As Bitcoin In Five Years first appeared on 99Bitcoins.