Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Addresses Node Centralization: Calls for Easier Node Operation

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin says node centralization is one of Ethereum’s main challenges, but the perfect solution may not come for another 20 years. The centralization of nodes is one of the biggest problems facing the Ethereum network and should be addressed by making the running of nodes cheaper and easier, according to Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

Currently, the majority of the 5,901 active Ethereum nodes are being run through centralized web providers like Amazon Web Services, which many experts claim leaves the Ethereum blockchain exposed to a centralized point of failure. Speaking at Korea Blockchain Week, Buterin outlined six key problems that need addressing to solve centralization but highlighted that the node issue was a “big piece of the puzzle” to ensure the Ethereum network remains decentralized in the long run.

“One of those six things is making it technically easier for people to run nodes and statelessness is one of the really important technologies in doing that right,” he explained. The concept of statelessness refers to removing the reliance on centralized service providers to verify activity on the network. According to the Ethereum Foundation, true decentralization is not possible until node operators can run Ethereum on modest and inexpensive hardware.

As Buterin noted, statelessness forms a key component of the Ethereum roadmap, with major steps towards statelessness being made in “The Verge” and “The Purge” stages:

“In the longer term there’s a plan to maintain fully verified Ethereum nodes where you could literally it on your phone

Despite statelessness forming a core part of the Ethereum roadmap, Buterin admitted that these highly-technical concerns were unlikely to be addressed any time in the immediate future.

“These technical problems will have to be addressed eventually — maybe a 10-year timescale, maybe a 20-year timescale,” he said.

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Maria Irene
Maria Irenehttp://ledgerlife.io/
Maria Irene is a multi-faceted journalist with a focus on various domains including Cryptocurrency, NFTs, Real Estate, Energy, and Macroeconomics. With over a year of experience, she has produced an array of video content, news stories, and in-depth analyses. Her journalistic endeavours also involve a detailed exploration of the Australia-India partnership, pinpointing avenues for mutual collaboration. In addition to her work in journalism, Maria crafts easily digestible financial content for a specialised platform, demystifying complex economic theories for the layperson. She holds a strong belief that journalism should go beyond mere reporting; it should instigate meaningful discussions and effect change by spotlighting vital global issues. Committed to enriching public discourse, Maria aims to keep her audience not just well-informed, but also actively engaged across various platforms, encouraging them to partake in crucial global conversations.

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