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Vitalik said the blockchain trilemma is an engineering constraint, not a law, and can be solved with layered design.
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zk-SNARKs let Ethereum scale computation by verifying work with proofs instead of re-executing every task.
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PeerDAS enables data scaling by sampling small data chunks, boosting throughput without weakening consensus.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said the long-debated blockchain trilemma is being addressed through engineering progress, not theory. He spoke on January 27 at the ETH ChiangMai togETHer event. Buterin explained why Ethereum now targets scalability and consensus together, using new cryptographic and data-layer technologies.
Trilemma Framed as an Engineering Constraint
According to Vitalik Buterin, the blockchain trilemma never existed as a mathematical law. Instead, he described it as a stage-dependent engineering challenge. He compared Ethereum’s trajectory to two existing systems.
Bitcoin, he said, achieves strong consensus by forcing every node to process each transaction. However, that design limits scalability. By contrast, BitTorrent moves massive data volumes daily through decentralization, yet it lacks ordering guarantees and consensus.
Buterin explained Ethereum aims to combine both properties. The goal is strong consensus without forcing every participant to process all activity. This framing set the context for Ethereum’s current technical direction.
ZK-SNARKs Reshape Computation Scaling
Turning to computation, Buterin pointed to zk-SNARK technology as a key enabler. Zk-SNARKs allow verification of large computations through cryptographic proofs. Validators can confirm results without redoing the work.
He explained that large computations can be split into smaller parts. Different participants process those parts independently. The system then verifies the combined output using proofs.
According to Buterin, this approach removes earlier scalability limits at the computation layer. He noted Ethereum already has usable beta implementations. However, he added that several more years of testing remain before full production scaling.
PeerDAS Targets Data Availability Limits
For data scaling, Buterin highlighted PeerDAS. This system allows nodes to sample small data portions randomly. Nodes no longer need full datasets to maintain consensus.
He said PeerDAS already runs on Ethereum today. Together with zk-SNARKs, it enables higher capacity without weakening consensus guarantees.
Buterin stressed that these upgrades work across separate layers. Computation and data now scale independently. As a result, Ethereum can increase throughput while preserving decentralization.
He added that continued security validation remains necessary. Still, he described steady improvement across both areas, based on current deployment progress and testing milestones.
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