Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has introduced a transformative proposal designed to facilitate the operation of Ethereum nodes for the average user by significantly minimizing the hardware and storage prerequisites necessary for synchronizing with the network.
In a blog post released on Sunday via Ethereum’s research forum, Buterin outlined a new strategy for how nodes store and access data, advocating for a transition from complete data replication to a model that emphasizes user-specific data management.
This innovative approach would allow nodes to retain only the data pertinent to individual users, in contrast to the current requirement of housing Ethereum’s entire global state, which has surpassed 1.3 terabytes, according to Etherscan.
Buterin pointed out that “the overhead is impractically high,” and stated that despite ongoing improvements, the operational costs of running a full node will likely remain prohibitive for many users unless they possess specialized hardware or utilize cloud-based solutions.
Introducing a Local-First Model
The proposal focuses on implementing a local-first model. Instead of requiring continuous tracking of the complete history of Ethereum, nodes would only synchronize relevant portions of data and could request additional historical information as necessary — akin to how library systems share books between different branches.
Buterin has long aspired to make fully verified Ethereum nodes accessible on standard consumer devices, potentially even smartphones. While he previously acknowledged that realizing this aim could take a decade or longer, his latest proposal moves Ethereum closer to decentralizing accessibility and reducing dependence on centralized service providers.
He cautioned against over-reliance on a select few dominant providers, stating, “There’s value in ensuring greater ease of running personal nodes.”
How to make Ethereum L1 scaling more friendly to users running local nodes for personal use: https://t.co/881XRJLpI0
— vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) May 19, 2025
This proposal comes as Ethereum gears up for its forthcoming Pectra upgrade, which has been branded by core developers as the most ambitious yet. This overhaul aims to establish a foundation for enhanced scalability and decentralization, aligning seamlessly with Buterin’s recent initiatives.
Last month, Dankrad Feist, a researcher with the Ethereum Foundation, introduced Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 9698, aimed at augmenting the network’s gas limit by 100-fold over the next two years, potentially allowing the Ethereum mainnet to process up to 2,000 transactions per second (TPS).
Addressing Centralization Issues in AI
Eric Connor, a former core developer of Ethereum, believes that the platform holds significant potential to address some of the critical challenges affecting artificial intelligence. Earlier this month, he expressed that Ethereum’s “biggest mainstream moment” could emerge through its integration with AI, particularly as the sector grapples with centralization issues, unclear algorithms, and increasing privacy concerns.
“AI is plagued by black-box models, centralized data silos, and privacy pitfalls,” Connor observed, emphasizing that Ethereum is uniquely positioned to tackle these challenges.
Ethereum has already demonstrated trustless, programmable finance through DeFi and stablecoins. But its biggest mainstream moment is waiting in the wings with AI. AI is on a fast-track to reshape almost every aspect of our lives. But it’s plagued by black-box models,…
— Eric Conner (@econoar) April 15, 2025
In March, Nic Carter, a crypto venture capitalist from Castle Island Ventures, highlighted two critical factors undermining Ethereum’s value: the emergence of layer-2 (L2) scaling networks and unrestricted token issuance. He contended that “greedy Eth L2s” are draining value from Ethereum’s foundational layer without providing adequate returns.
Carter also criticized the Ethereum community for its tolerance of excessive token creation, declaring that “ETH was buried in an avalanche of its own tokens. Died by its own hand.”
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