Ethereum

Ethereum Co-Founder Buterin Introduces ‘The Splurge’ Upgrade

Published

3 weeks ago

October 29, 2024

Coin2049 Newsletter

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has unveiled “The Splurge,” a comprehensive set of protocol upgrades aimed at addressing a variety of challenges within the Ethereum ecosystem. In his latest blog post titled “Possible futures of the Ethereum protocol, part 6: The Splurge,” Buterin delves into the technical intricacies of upcoming enhancements that seek to propel Ethereum toward a more performant, secure, and scalable future.

“The Splurge” is designed to tackle a collection of “little things” in Ethereum protocol design that don’t neatly fit into existing upgrade categories. According to Buterin, these elements are “very valuable for Ethereum’s success” but require a dedicated focus due to their complexity and significance.

What Is Ethereum’s ‘The Splurge’?

The key goals of The Splurge include bringing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to a more performant and stable “endgame state,” integrating account abstraction directly into the protocol to enhance security and user convenience, optimizing transaction fee economics to increase scalability while mitigating risks, and exploring cutting-edge cryptographic techniques to significantly improve Ethereum in the long term.

Buterin emphasizes the need to refine the EVM, stating that “the EVM today is difficult to statically analyze, making it challenging to create highly efficient implementations, formally verify code, and make further extensions over time.” The introduction of the EVM Object Format (EOF) is the first step in the EVM improvement roadmap, scheduled for inclusion in the next hard fork. EOF introduces features such as the separation of code and data, the banning of dynamic jumps in favor of static jumps, the removal of gas observability within EVM code, and the addition of an explicit subroutine mechanism.

EOF lays the groundwork for further upgrades like the EVM Modular Arithmetic Extensions (EVM-MAX) and the integration of Single-Instruction-Multiple-Data (SIMD) capabilities. These enhancements aim to make the EVM more efficient for advanced cryptographic operations without relying heavily on precompiles. “After EOF is introduced, it becomes easier to introduce further upgrades,” Buterin notes.

Account abstraction has been a long-standing goal for Ethereum, aiming to allow smart contract code to control transaction verification. “At the core, account abstraction is simple: allow transactions to be initiated by smart contracts, and not just EOAs,” Buterin explains. This capability could enable a range of applications, from quantum-resistant cryptography to seamless key rotation and improved wallet security.

ERC-4337 serves as a current solution for implementing account abstraction without modifying the core protocol. It introduces a new object called “user operations” and separates transaction processing into validation and execution phases. However, Buterin points out inefficiencies in this approach, particularly the “flat ~100k gas overhead per bundle.”

EIP-7702 is proposed to bring the convenience benefits of account abstraction to all users, including externally owned accounts (EOAs), by integrating it directly into the protocol. This move could unify the ecosystem and eliminate the need for relayers in privacy protocols. “EIP-7702 makes the ‘convenience features’ of account abstraction available to all users, including EOAs, today,” Buterin writes.

While EIP-1559 has improved average block inclusion times and fee predictability, Buterin acknowledges imperfections in its implementation. He notes that “the formula is slightly flawed” and “doesn’t adjust fast enough in extreme conditions.” The proposed EIP-7706 aims to address these issues by introducing multidimensional gas fees, allowing for separate pricing and limits for different resources like calldata, state reads/writes, and state size expansion.

“Multidimensional gas has two primary tradeoffs: it adds complexity to the protocol and to the optimal algorithm needed to fill a block to capacity,” Buterin explains. However, he suggests that the benefits in efficiency and resource management could outweigh these complexities.

The introduction of Verifiable Delay Functions (VDFs) aims to improve the randomness in Ethereum’s proposer selection process. “Ideally, we would find a more robust source of randomness,” Buterin states. VDFs could offer a solution by providing outputs that are computationally intensive to produce but easy to verify, reducing the potential for manipulation. Challenges remain, such as “unexpected optimization” through hardware acceleration or parallelization. “Currently, there is no VDF construction that fully satisfies Ethereum researchers on all axes,” Buterin admits, indicating that further research and development are needed.

Moreover, Buterin explores the “far future of cryptography” by discussing advanced concepts like indistinguishability obfuscation and one-shot signatures. He refers to these as part of the “Egyptian god protocols,” extremely powerful cryptographic primitives that could revolutionize blockchain technology. Indistinguishability obfuscation allows for the creation of “encrypted programs” that perform arbitrary computations while keeping internal details hidden. “With obfuscation and one-shot signatures together, we can build almost perfect trustless third parties,” Buterin asserts.

Potential applications include secure DAOs and auctions, universal trusted setups, and simplified verification of zero-knowledge proofs. Despite their promise, these technologies are still in their infancy. “There is a heck of a lot left to do,” Buterin concedes. Implementations of indistinguishability obfuscation currently face significant performance hurdles, and practical quantum computers capable of enabling one-shot signatures remain theoretical.

By tackling EVM improvements, account abstraction, transaction fee optimization, and exploring the frontiers of cryptography, Buterin aims to keep Ethereum at the forefront of blockchain innovation. While acknowledging the complexities and trade-offs involved, he remains optimistic. “Extremely powerful cryptography could change the game completely,” he concludes.

At press time, ETH traded at $2,627.

Ethereum price — Ether price, 1-week chart | Source: ETHUSDT on TradingView.com

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

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Ethereum

Fundraising platform JustGiving accepts over 60 cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum

Published

4 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Coin2049 Newsletter

JustGiving now accepts over 60 cryptocurrencies for people to donate with
94% of crypto users are Millennials and Generation Z
More than $2 billion has been donated to charitable causes over the past five years

UK-based fundraising platform JustGiving is teaming up with The Giving Block, a digital asset company, to start accepting crypto donations.

JustGiving now allows users to donate in more than 60 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, and Doge, according to a report from UK Fundraising. The move comes as the crypto market is experiencing a surge in value, with Bitcoin recording a new all-time high of over $94,000 yesterday on CoinMarketCap.

According to JustGiving’s website, over the past 24 years, the fundraising platform has raised $7.2 billion (£6 billion) and is trusted by thousands of charities worldwide, including the Alzheimer’s Society, the British Heart Foundation, Macmillan Cancer Support, and Mind.

Pascale Harvie, President and General Manager of JustGiving, said:

“In recent years there has been a surge in the use of cryptocurrencies and our decision to enable cryptocurrency donations is the latest demonstration of our commitment to forward-thinking innovation.”

Tapping into a tech-savvy demographic is also key. According to JustGiving, 94% of crypto users are Millennials and Gen Z.

Alex Wilson, co-founder of The Giving Block, said that “charities need to tap into this new donor demographic,” adding:

“580 million people now use cryptocurrency around the world and the market is worth nearly $3 trillion. Our goal is to make accepting cryptocurrency donations just as easy as taking any other online donations.”

In a 2024 Annual Report from The Giving Block, it noted that more than $2 billion has been donated to charitable causes over the past five years.

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Ethereum

Ethereum Consolidation Continues – Charts Signal Potential Breakout

Published

6 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Coin2049 Newsletter

Este artículo también está disponible en español.

Ethereum (ETH) has consolidated since November 12, when it hit a local high of $4,446. Despite Bitcoin’s impressive rally capturing market attention, Ethereum has struggled to maintain upward momentum and reclaim its yearly highs. The price action reflects a period of indecision, as ETH faces challenges in breaking through significant resistance levels that could reignite bullish sentiment.

Ethereum Prepares To Surge

Ethereum has been underwhelming in its price action since March, struggling to keep pace with Bitcoin’s performance. Despite a few notable surges, ETH has yet to achieve the breakout investors eagerly anticipate.

The prolonged consolidation has frustrated some traders, but an optimistic sentiment remains among those who believe Ethereum is poised for a significant rally once it clears key supply levels.

T op crypto analyst Carl Runefelt recently shared his technical analysis on X, highlighting Ethereum’s current position within a bullish flag pattern. According to Runefelt, ETH has attempted to break out of this formation for the past two weeks, facing stiff resistance at critical supply zones. However, he remains confident that it could rapidly surge to $4,150 once Ethereum breaches this level.

Ethereum struggles to break out of this Bullish flag | Source: Carl Runefelt on X

Such a move would mark a substantial percentage increase from current prices, sparking a wave of investor enthusiasm. The fear of missing out (FOMO) could drive additional buying momentum, creating a self-reinforcing price appreciation cycle. If ETH follows this trajectory, it would confirm the bullish flag breakout and signal Ethereum’s return to a dominant position in the crypto market.

ETH Price Action: Technical Details

Ethereum is trading at $3,120 following several days of sideways consolidation below its recent local high of $3,446. Despite the pause in upward momentum, ETH has shown strength by surging above the critical 200-day moving average (MA), currently at $2,957, and maintaining its position above this key technical indicator.

ETH trading above its 200-day MA | Source: ETHUSDT chart on TradingView

The 200-day MA is often a pivotal line between bullish and bearish trends. Ethereum’s ability to stay above it signals robust support from buyers and growing confidence in the market. If ETH continues to hold this level, it could pave the way for a bullish surge, with the first target being the local top at $3,446.

Beyond that, a break above this resistance level could see ETH aiming for yearly highs near $4,000, reigniting enthusiasm among traders and investors. Such a move would likely confirm Ethereum’s return to a sustained uptrend, aligning it more closely with Bitcoin’s recent bullish performance.

Ethereum Holders Endure Unrealized Losses – Is ETH Undervalued?

Published

15 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Coin2049 Newsletter

Ethereum (ETH) has been underperforming in this cycle, trailing far behind Bitcoin’s impressive rally to new all-time highs. While Bitcoin captures headlines with its continued surge, ETH struggles to reclaim its yearly highs, leaving many investors questioning its next move.

Despite the lackluster price action, data from CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju reveals a silver lining for ETH holders. According to Ju, many ETH investors are enduring unrealized losses, reminiscent of ETH’s early 2020 bottom before its explosive bull run. This suggests that the current market conditions might offer a unique opportunity for long-term ETH investors.

Ju’s analysis highlights that substantial price recoveries have historically followed such phases of unrealized losses. If Ethereum starts to gain momentum and close the gap with Bitcoin, the potential gains could be massive. For investors, this could mark the beginning of an upward trend, rewarding those who remain patient during this period of consolidation.

With market sentiment shifting and historical data supporting a bullish case, ETH’s next move could be pivotal. Investors and analysts closely watch ETH’s price action, hoping for signs of a breakout that could reignite its momentum and deliver significant returns.

Last Chance To Buy Ethereum?

Despite Ethereum’s underwhelming performance this cycle, there are signs of bullish price action in recent weeks. ETH has remained relatively stagnant compared to Bitcoin’s meteoric rise. However, optimistic signals suggest this could be the last opportunity to accumulate ETH at discounted prices before it starts its ascent toward new highs.

Critical data from CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju sheds light on an interesting development: the ETH-BTC NUPL (Net Unrealized Profit/Loss) has reached a 4-year low. This indicates that, despite Ethereum’s lagging performance against Bitcoin, many ETH holders are enduring unrealized losses.

Ethereum ETH-BTC NUPL hits a 4-year low | Source: Ki Young Ju on X

This mirrors Ethereum’s early 2020 bottom situation, just before it began its explosive rally. Ju believes that this period of underperformance might present an opportunity for long-term ETH investors, as it could set the stage for a potential surge.

However, Ju also notes that Ethereum’s future heavily depends on the revenue generated by Web3 applications, particularly through stablecoins. While the ecosystem remains promising, it also feels heavily leveraged, and the issue of sustainable growth through Web3 app revenue doesn’t seem likely to resolve anytime soon.

Over a one-year timeframe, Ju finds ETH less appealing than BTC, although regulatory clarity in the future could change the dynamics and enhance Ethereum’s appeal. For now, this period of consolidation presents a critical moment for ETH believers to position themselves before any significant price movements.

ETH Testing Crucial Demand

Ethereum is testing crucial demand above the $3,000 level, trading at $3,120 after several days of sideways consolidation below its local high at $3,446. This consolidation suggests that ETH is preparing for a potential breakout, especially with its recent surge above the key 200-day moving average at $2,957. Holding above this key support level is critical for maintaining bullish momentum.

ETH trading above $30,000 and 200-day MA | Source: ETHUSDT chart on TradingView

If Ethereum stays above the 200-day moving average and continues its upward trajectory, the next major resistance zone will be the local high at $3,446. A successful breakout above this level could pave the way for ETH to challenge its yearly highs, potentially reaching the $4,000 mark.

The current price action indicates a solid demand foundation above $3,000, and if ETH can maintain this level, it could trigger a bullish surge. However, failure to hold above the 200-day moving average could lead to a retest of lower support levels, such as $2,900 or even $2,500.

As of now, ETH remains poised for a potential move higher, and traders are watching closely for confirmation of a breakout to new highs.

Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView

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