Ethereum’s “Verge” Upgrade to Enable Nodes on Phones and Smartwatches: Buterin

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has unveiled plans for the network’s upcoming upgrade, dubbed “The Verge.” The upgrade aims to enable nodes to run on smaller devices like phones and smartwatches while enhancing security and accessibility.

By allowing these smaller devices to operate as nodes, the upgrade could make solo staking more practical and accessible, aligning with Buterin’s vision of a more inclusive Ethereum network.

Enhancing Verification Efficiency

In a blog post, Buterin explained that The Verge upgrade initially focused on using Verkle trees to change how Ethereum stores data. These trees are a special structure that makes it easier to prove information while reducing the amount of data needed. However, he cautioned that they could be vulnerable to future quantum computers.

Buterin now describes The Verge as having a much broader vision that goes beyond just Verkle trees. The upgrade aims to enhance the efficiency of verifying the Ethereum blockchain by using new data storage technology and enabling all transactions and activities to be checked with SNARKs, which improves privacy and efficiency in blockchain systems.

Adopting Stateless Verification

The Verge will utilize “stateless verification” to lower hardware requirements, enabling nodes to verify blockchain blocks without needing to store vast amounts of data. 

For context, stateless verification is a technology that allows nodes to check blocks without needing all the data. Instead, each block comes with a witness that includes the important values, like code and balances, along with proof that these values are correct.

By adopting stateless verification, Buterin envisions a future where validating the blockchain becomes so computationally efficient that even mobile wallets, browser wallets, and smartwatches can perform this function by default. The change means that Ethereum nodes would no longer need to store the entire blockchain, thus reducing technical barriers for users, including solo stakers. 

Adjusting Gas Fees for Improved Scalability

Another important aspect of the Verge is a proposed update to Ethereum’s gas cost system, detailed in Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP)-4762. The update aims to adjust gas fees for resource-intensive cryptographic operations to enhance scalability and security as the network moves toward stateless verification.

Buterin described this as a shift toward “multidimensional gas,” which separates costs for call data, computation, and state access. The approach is intended to optimize Ethereum’s resource management as it focuses on reducing hardware requirements.