Catenaa, Sunday, April 27, 2025- Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has unveiled a bold proposal that could reshape the blockchain’s technical foundation and potentially ignite long-term growth for the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency.
Outlined on April 21, Buterin’s plan advocates replacing Ethereum’s Virtual Machine (EVM) bytecode with RISC-V, an open-source instruction set architecture, in a move that could drastically increase network efficiency. Developers say the proposed change may speed up zero-knowledge proof computations by up to 100 times, slashing transaction costs and boosting scalability.
The transition would maintain compatibility with existing smart contracts while preserving developer tools like Solidity and Vyper. Analysts view the shift as complementary to Ethereum’s upcoming “Pectra” upgrade, set for May 7, which also focuses on scalability and performance.
Buterin’s idea has sparked interest across the crypto sector, though markets remained muted Monday, with ETH hovering around $1,500. Critics note that previous simplification attempts, such as removing the SELFDESTRUCT opcode, encountered unforeseen challenges—suggesting RISC-V’s implementation could face similar technical delays.
Still, Ethereum’s potential to regain momentum is evident. Data from Token Terminal and Santiment shows falling fee revenues early this year, but more efficient infrastructure could reverse this by enabling cheaper Layer 2 scaling.
While short-term market sentiment remains uncertain—especially amid broader economic pressures and U.S. trade policy turbulence—buterin’s vision has reignited confidence in Ethereum’s long-term relevance.
As traders weigh risks, experts recommend watching development timelines and macroeconomic indicators closely.
