Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has shared his plan for making different Ethereum Layer 2 (L2) networks work together seamlessly.
In a recent update on X (formerly Twitter), Buterin talked about the best ways to solve the problems of connecting different L2 networks. He’s hopeful that these issues can be resolved, leading to a smoother experience for users across Ethereum’s L2 systems.
Buterin emphasized that achieving this goal requires a strong team effort within the Ethereum community. He highlighted a few key proposals that could help improve how different L2 networks interact.
EIP-3370: New Address Format
One major proposal, EIP-3370, suggests a new way to format addresses. This new standard would make addresses easier to read by using simple, human-friendly prefixes, which should make things simpler for users and developers.
EIP-7683: Standard Communication Protocol
Another important proposal, EIP-7683, aims to create a standard way for L2 networks to communicate with each other. This would make trading assets across different chains more straightforward, addressing the current difficulties users face when moving assets between networks.
EIP-3668: Access to Off-Chain Data
EIP-3668 proposes a method for Ethereum smart contracts to access external data more efficiently. Known as “layer-2 light clients,” this proposal would help developers build apps that use large data sets without high storage costs on-chain.
Cross-L2 Replayable Updates
Buterin also mentioned a concept called “cross-L2-replayable account state updates,” which allows L2 networks to receive the latest updates from layer-1 (L1) while keeping things secure and fast.
Future Updates
Looking ahead, Buterin talked about future updates to improve cross-chain L2 compatibility, like keystore rollups and proof aggregation. These updates are meant to work with various rollup technologies and should help make cross-chain transactions smoother.
Buterin believes that all rollups will eventually use zero-knowledge (zk) technology for finalizing transactions on Ethereum, but this shift might take over five years.
Earlier this year, VanEck predicted that Ethereum L2 networks could become a $1 trillion market within six years, highlighting the potential of Buterin’s vision.
Buterin has also raised concerns about overly complicated Layer 2 solutions. He’s stressed the need for simpler Layer 1 networks to avoid critical bugs and attacks, while leaving the more complex features to Layer 2 networks, which handle large-scale transactions and reduce fees.
