"Ethereum may 'accelerate scaling' with zero-knowledge technology in 2026…could enter a new growth phase"

Ethereum (ETH) is set to adopt zero-knowledge (ZK) proof technology in earnest to advance network development. The goal is to significantly raise the network's transactions-per-second (TPS).

On the 26th (Korean time), digital asset media Cointelegraph reported that the first Ethereum validators will handle zero-knowledge proofs instead of the 'transaction re-execution' method. The zero-knowledge proof approach greatly reduces network burden and is a technology that can expand TPS from about 30 transactions currently to up to around 10,000, and is expected to play a key role in layer-1 scaling.

Researchers at the Ethereum Foundation expect that by the end of the year about 10% of all validators will participate in zero-knowledge verification. This is the largest structural change since the 2022 'Merge,' when Proof-of-Work (PoW) was changed to Proof-of-Stake (PoS).

In particular, researchers emphasized that zero-knowledge verification makes it possible for Ethereum to run on devices at the level of mobile phones rather than high-performance equipment, thereby strengthening decentralization and scalability simultaneously. The Foundation plans to introduce a zero-knowledge-verification-based Ethereum Virtual Machine (zkEVM) in stages.

Experts evaluate the adoption of zero-knowledge proofs as a potential turning point for Ethereum's scaling. Gari Schulte, Besu client lead blockchain protocol engineer, said, "Zero-knowledge proofs are a method that allows more traffic to be processed with fewer resources," adding, "The important point is that network scaling is possible without raising validator hardware specifications."

Justin Drake, an Ethereum Foundation researcher, also said, "A structure in which validators do not have to re-execute transactions directly creates room to raise gas limits," and added, "By 2026, as some validators switch to zero-knowledge proof verification, changes in the network structure will become visible."

On the other hand, there are cautious views. Schulte said, "There is concern among developers that real-time zero-knowledge proofs could place a significant burden on software," adding, "Systems newly developed for the zero-knowledge proof environment are fine, but whether validators can adapt still needs discussion."