Vitalik Buterin Unveils Ethereum’s Path to 100K Transactions Per Second Using Rollups

Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, recently laid out an ambitious roadmap in a blog post, detailing how Ethereum aims to handle 100,000 transactions per second (TPS). This vision is part of the upcoming phase known as The Surge, tied to Ethereum’s Dencun upgrade. Buterin’s approach focuses on combining Layer 2 (L2) scaling solutions with innovative technologies like data compression and advanced data availability sampling.

Rollup-Centric Scaling Strategy

At the core of Buterin’s roadmap is a rollup-centric model. This method allows the Ethereum Layer 1 (L1) network to remain robust and decentralized, while Layer 2 solutions take on the task of scaling. “The rollup-centric roadmap proposes a simple division of labor: the Ethereum L1 focuses on being a robust and decentralized base layer, while L2s take on the task of helping the ecosystem scale,” Buterin explained. He likened this approach to society’s structure, where the court system (L1) ensures security, and entrepreneurs (L2) build on that foundation.

Instead of increasing Ethereum’s gas limit—which could lead to centralization by requiring expensive hardware—Buterin advocates for a more refined approach. This includes optimizing gas costs and introducing the Ethereum Object Format (EOF) to make gas fees more efficient.

Buterin also discussed the need for greater cohesion between various Layer 2 networks. Currently, L2s can feel like isolated “walled gardens,” complicating user interactions across different chains. “Ethereum should feel like one ecosystem, not 34 different blockchains,” Buterin emphasized, proposing standardized chain identifiers and improved cross-L2 standards.

He shared a personal example of losing $100 on Polymarket—not due to a wrong bet, but because he accidentally selected the wrong chain. “If we are serious about the idea that L2s are part of Ethereum, we need to make using the L2 ecosystem feel like using a unified Ethereum ecosystem,” he stated.

Ethereum’s future, as outlined by Buterin, hinges on striking the right balance between decentralization and scalability, making the platform more efficient without sacrificing its core values.