Ethereum mining crypto network blockchain 3d illustration concept. Source: BORIS - stock.adobe.com

Key Takeaways:

Vitalik Buterin proposes replacing Ethereum’s EVM contract language with RISC-V to improve execution layer performance.
The shift aims to address scalability issues and enhance zero-knowledge EVM proving capabilities.
Buterin claims the change could deliver up to 100x efficiency improvements, helping Ethereum stay competitive with high-throughput chains like Solana and Sui.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) contract language with the RISC-V instruction set architecture to significantly improve the network’s execution layer.

Published on April 20, the proposal aims to address Ethereum’s long-term scalability challenges, including improving data availability sampling, maintaining a competitive block production market, and enhancing zero-knowledge (ZK) EVM proving.

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Buterin believes that integrating RISC-V—a widely adopted, open-source hardware architecture—could streamline execution and boost block production efficiency.

He suggests that while Ethereum’s consensus layer has seen simplification progress, the execution layer requires similarly bold changes to achieve major gains.

The move is also seen as a response to increasing competition from high-performance blockchain platforms like Solana and Sui, which offer greater throughput.

Buterin estimates that adopting RISC-V could potentially improve Ethereum’s execution efficiency by up to 100 times.

The proposal reflects Ethereum’s broader effort to stay technologically competitive and future-proof its infrastructure amid evolving blockchain demands and innovations.