Key Points
A recent study suggests a new decentralized random block proposal system for Ethereum.
This system aims to replace the existing architecture, which has concentrated power among a few entities.
Despite Ethereum’s shift to Proof of Stake and the adoption of Proposer-Builder Separation (PBS), two entities propose around 80% of Ethereum blocks.
This concentration undermines the network’s decentralized foundation and allows these entities to hold most of the maximum extractable value (MEV).
A Proposed Solution
The proposed solution would fundamentally change Ethereum’s block creation process.
Instead of specialized builders constructing blocks, all Ethereum clients would use an identical random algorithm to select transactions and roll-up blobs from their local mempools.
This randomization would ensure no entity could predict or control transaction ordering.
According to the research, this could effectively eliminate block-level MEV such as arbitrage and front-running opportunities.
This approach could potentially reduce Ethereum’s current 12-second slot time to 6-8 seconds.
It would also support Danksharding’s future roll-up requirements.
The release of this research coincides with leadership changes at the Ethereum Foundation.
Core developer Tim Beiko referred to these changes as “one of the most consequential turning points in Ethereum’s history” in a recent post.
Beiko praised the appointment of Hsiao-Wei Wang and Tomasz Stanczak as co-executive directors of the Ethereum Foundation.
He described it as striking “the right balance” between optimization and preserving Ethereum’s core values.
Wang has seven years of experience as an Ethereum researcher with contributions to the beacon chain.
Stanczak brings his background as a developer and organizational leader at Nethermind.
Beiko wrote, “While it’s clear that many things need to change for Ethereum to win, it’s easy to overcorrect and kill the magic in search of maximal optimization.”
He suggested that these leadership changes would help Ethereum stay “anchored to OG values while staying relevant for newcomers.”
Despite his optimism, Beiko acknowledged the challenges ahead: “There’s a lot of work ahead of us and we shouldn’t delude ourselves into taking for granted that Ethereum will succeed at the level of its ambitions.”