Ethereum Team Lead Sounds The Alarm: Are Developers Prioritizing Short-term Fixes?

As a crypto investor with a few years of experience under my belt, I’ve seen firsthand how rapidly the Ethereum network has evolved. Its ability to adapt to environmental needs and make hard choices, such as transitioning from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, is commendable. However, I share Péter Szilágyi’s concerns about the project’s development direction.


Ethereum, which is often referred to as a legacy network due to its longstanding presence in the blockchain industry, has undergone significant transformation. It has responded to changing circumstances, such as the need for scalability, by making strategic adjustments. One of these decisions involved transitioning from a proof-of-work to a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism.

Yet, Peter Szilagyi, a developer and team leader at Ethereum, expresses worry over Ethereum’s increasing malleability.

Ethereum Prioritizing Short-Term Fixes Over Protocol Integrity?

Speaking with X, Szilágyi voiced concerns about the project’s progression, specifically targeting its development direction. The team leader acknowledged a growing preference among developers for addressing immediate issues at the expense of the protocol’s lasting wellbeing.

At a point when regulatory bodies have been intensely examining Ethereum, including the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), reportedly viewing ETH as an unregistered security, Szilágyi expresses concern over the ensuing decisions.

The developer expresses apprehension over the repeated adjustments to Ethereum’s core protocol rules in response to regulatory demands, fearing that this could lead to undesirable consequences. As the team leader put it, “making small compromises in various areas,” might eventually transform Ethereum into a carbon copy of traditional finance systems.

As a researcher studying the intersection of traditional finance (TradFi) and decentralized systems, I’ve come to realize that when certain events transpire, the fundamental principles of decentralization and the elusive “censorship resistance” attribute unique to these systems may be compromised in TradFi.

As a researcher studying the Ethereum network, I’ve come across Szilágyi’s perspective that Ethereum may be heading towards unfavorable territory due to the Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) issue. In Ethereum’s setup, validators are responsible for approving transactions in a block, yet they have some leeway in determining the order of these transactions based on the attached gas fees. This flexibility allows validators to potentially “reap” value by manipulating transaction orders within a single block, which could be problematic for the network’s fairness and efficiency.

Danger Of Centralization: MEV Issues Not Addressed, Suspicion On Liquid Staking

The developer has pointed out that MEV’s detrimental impacts have not been resolved as of now. Instead, efforts have been diverted towards customizing the protocol and infrastructure around it for exclusive use by proprietary Maker of Execution (MEV) builders. According to Szilágyi, this approach could lead Ethereum developers to unwittingly transfer control to a centralized group, potentially undermining the decentralization of the second-largest cryptocurrency network.

In addition to Minimum Value Extraction (MEV), the developer holds concerns that the emergence of liquid staking platforms such as Lido Finance could potentially disrupt the network’s stability.

ETH stakeholders have the opportunity to generate returns via staking platforms that don’t necessitate operating a validator node. However, Szilágyi expresses concern that over the long term, a small number of actors might gain significant control over the network, leading to increased centralization.

It’s uncertain if developers will address Szilágyi’s concerns. Nonetheless, there’s no denying that developers have been implementing changes on the mainnet to improve user experience and cut down costs.

Ethereum Team Lead Sounds The Alarm: Are Developers Prioritizing Short-term Fixes?

In the most recent update, Dencun’s team reduced trading fees on secondary networks such as Base and Arbitrum. According to Ethereum’s plan, scaling the main network through Sharding is set to be a major focus in the upcoming years.

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2024-05-17 00:11