In a new blog post, Buterin offers three approaches to simplify the network\u2019s high validator load. <\/p>\n
Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin published a blog post<\/a> today proposing to reduce the network\u2019s load associated with its high validator count. The number of validators reaches roughly 895,000.<\/p>\n This high figure supports decentralization\u2013allowing even regular individuals to participate in staking<\/a>\u2013but strains the network due to the huge number of signatures it has to process.<\/p>\n According to Buterin, the load and technical complexity is currently too high, and needs addressing.<\/p>\n Ether is posting<\/a> a green day, surging 6.1% to $2,363 in the past 24 hours, according to Coingecko.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Buterin reckons that the current signature aggregation system\u2013which processes roughly 28,000 signatures per slot\u2013breeds systemic complexity and doesn\u2019t reach the end goal of allowing anybody to stake.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems infeasible to make an everyone-signs-in-every-slot system truly enable staking for the average person in the long term: if Ethereum<\/a> has 500 million users, and 10% of them stake, then that implies 100 million signatures per slot,\u201d Buterin wrote.<\/p>\n A slot refers to a unit of time in the Ethereum network. A time period of 12 seconds is given for the network to choose a random validator to propose a block to the slot.<\/p>\n Ethereum\u2019s co-founder considers sticking to 8,192 signatures per slot (in lieu of the current 28,000) moving forward would reduce the technical complexities that the network currently grapples with.<\/p>\n Proposing three approaches to broach the issue, Buterin starts off with going all-in on decentralized staking pools. This would require raising the minimum deposit size to 4,096 ETH, incentivizing small-staker to join these pools.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nEthereum Slots<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Buterin\u2019s Three Approaches<\/strong><\/h2>\n