Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has laid out further plans to improve the blockchain’s Proof-of-Stake (PoS) system via a new upgrade called “The Verge.”
In one blog post Published on October 23, Buterin explained that while running an Ethereum node is technically possible on a standard laptop, the data requirements of the current system make it impractical for many users.
Operating a node requires hundreds of gigabytes of data to verify blocks, and this data is growing by about 30 GB every year. These high storage needs limit the number of users who can run fully authenticating nodes on Ethereum.
Buterin’s proposed Verge update addresses this challenge by introducing “stateless client authentication,” which allows devices to validate blockchain data without storing the entire data set locally.
He explained:
“The Verge is about changing this, and making fully authenticating the chain so computationally affordable that every mobile wallet, browser wallet and even smartwatch does this by default.”
The edge
Initially, “The Verge” focused on adopting Verkle trees, a data structure that enables more compact proofs and the stateless verification of Ethereum blocks.
Since then, however, its scope has broadened. The update now aims to make Ethereum verification more efficient by combining stateless validation techniques with advanced cryptographic proofs such as SNARKs (Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge).
SNARKs allow one party to prove that they have certain information without revealing the details, making it possible to quickly verify complex transactions along the chain. Buterin believes this technology could allow Ethereum’s blockchain to be verified on small devices such as smartwatches, increasing the potential for widespread participation in the network.
In particular, stateless verification eliminates the need for nodes to store all blockchain data. Instead, each block would contain a ‘witness’ containing the essential data and cryptographic proofs needed to validate the block.
This shift to stateless clients is critical as it reduces storage needs and accelerates blockchain performance. This would improve the overall user experience while lowering the barriers to using Ethereum nodes, making solo staking much more accessible.
To implement these changes, Buterin proposes replacing Ethereum’s current state structure, known as the Merkle Patricia tree, with Verkle trees or STARKed binary hash trees. While STARKs perform a similar function to SNARKs, they provide additional benefits in scalability and security, allowing Ethereum to overcome some of the limitations of its existing proof systems.