Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has called for the removal of one of Ethereum’s “most ZK-unfriendly” features, highlighting the need to simplify the network’s architecture for better scalability and efficiency. His comments have reignited discussion among developers about how to streamline Ethereum’s core design to align with the growing role of zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs in the blockchain ecosystem.
ZK proofs, a powerful cryptographic technology, allow transactions to be verified without revealing underlying data. They play a vital role in improving privacy and scalability—two areas where Ethereum has long sought to advance. However, Buterin noted that some aspects of Ethereum’s codebase make integrating ZK proofs unnecessarily complex.
According to him, removing these legacy design elements would make it easier to build ZK-compatible tools, enhance security, and speed up verification processes. This move would also pave the way for a more efficient ecosystem where ZK rollups and proof systems can operate more seamlessly with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM).
The Ethereum community has been actively working toward a “ZK future,” with projects like zkSync, Scroll, and Polygon zkEVM already leveraging the technology. Buterin’s latest proposal signals a shift toward deeper protocol-level integration, ensuring that Ethereum remains at the forefront of blockchain innovation.
If implemented, the proposed simplification could mark a major step toward a faster, more scalable, and privacy-oriented Ethereum—pushing the network closer to its long-term vision of mass adoption and decentralized efficiency.
