In a significant development for the Ethereum (ETH) ecosystem, researchers propose redesigning the network’s consensus layer, aiming to enhance scalability, decentralization, and security.
During a presentation at DevCon in Bangkok on Tuesday, Justin Drake, an Ethereum Foundation researcher, introduced the concept of “Beam Chain,” a new consensus layer intended to replace the existing Beacon Chain.
The Beam Chain Proposal
Drake explained that the Beacon Chain, which has been operational for five years, has become somewhat outdated. “In those five years, so much has happened,” he remarked, highlighting the rapid advancements in blockchain technology and research.
The redesign will reportedly focus exclusively on the consensus layer, leaving the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and the binary large object (blob) data layer untouched.
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In addition, the Beam Chain aims to revamp several critical aspects of Ethereum’s staking mechanism, block production system, and cryptographic architecture. One of the central proposals is to reduce the validator bond from 32 ETH to just 1 ETH, a move intended to foster greater decentralization within the network.
Drake noted that the current issuance model for Proof of Stake (PoS) is perceived as flawed, presenting an opportunity for improvement that could benefit Ethereum’s long-term health.
To enhance censorship resistance, the proposal includes mechanisms for attestor-proposer separation, which would further secure the block production process. Additionally, the Beam Chain is designed to improve throughput by accelerating block time slots, ultimately leading to faster transaction confirmations.
Plans To Transform Ethereum Future
A hallmark of the Beam Chain initiative is its incorporation of zero-knowledge (ZK) consensus, which leverages Succinct Non-interactive Argument of Knowledge (SNARK) proofs.
These cryptographic tools will serve dual purposes: enabling consensus clients to compile high-level languages into bytecode and creating a “hash-based post-quantum infinitely-aggregatable scheme” that can condense thousands of hashes into a single proof.
Recent advancements suggest that users can prove over 2 million hashes per second, indicating that the “SNARKification” of the consensus layer is feasible even on consumer-grade hardware.
Drake outlined that if the community…
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