Ethereum Aims for a 100% Zero-Knowledge Architecture Within the Next Five Years

The debate on Ethereum’s future is accelerating around a major technical goal: making Zero-Knowledge the foundation of its architecture in order to make the protocol faster, more affordable, and more secure. Joseph Lubin, CEO of Consensys, believes this transition could transform the network’s base layer and bring layer 2s closer into a more unified ecosystem. According to him, Ethereum could become a protocol entirely based on zero-knowledge proofs within the next five years.

Joe Lubin Bets on Layer 1

Joe Lubin, the CEO of Consensys, considers the rollup-focused roadmap still relevant, but he insists on a central point: layer 1 must evolve. According to him, ongoing innovations can make this strategy more effective, provided the main chain is strengthened. In his interview given to The Block, he states:

I am a strong supporter of the acquisition-focused strategy, especially as developments and innovations are underway to make it particularly effective. This notably includes strengthening Ethereum’s layer 1 through initiatives like Lean Ethereum, which could increase the value and impact of this approach.

Joe Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum. Source: The Block.

This direction, according to Lubin, must notably go through the Lean Ethereum initiative, a long-term proposal led by Justin Drake, a researcher at the foundation, to simplify the protocol and integrate advanced zero-knowledge cryptography.

In this vision, deploying the ZK proof is not only about improving performance. It must also strengthen composability between the base layer and layer 2 networks. Lubin believes that “Ethereum could become, within three to five years, a protocol entirely based on zero-knowledge proofs.” This evolution should help Ethereum preserve its security while meeting expectations on costs, speed, and censorship resistance.

This change comes after several months of reassessing the rollup-focused roadmap. Vitalik Buterin acknowledged last February that the initial vision had not fully produced the expected effects. Some layer 2s mainly created isolated spaces, sometimes described as branded fragments, instead of forming a fluid whole. The stated priority is now to make mainnet usage more competitive without abandoning decentralization guarantees.

Ethereum Bets on ZK Proofs to Connect Layer 1 and Layer 2s

For Lubin, layer 2s maintain an important role in building a global computer. They serve as experimental environments where complex technologies can mature before integration into the main network. ZK proofs play a key role here, as they already allow quick verification of certain operations on second-layer networks.

In this logic, Ethereum keeps L2s as testing grounds for verifiable computation, privacy, and throughput. Lubin recalls that the ecosystem had long awaited the central role of zero-knowledge proofs. Initially intended for layer 2, they could then support layer 1 with several formally verified provers.

Chains like Linea, developed at Consensys, and Gnosis already use these mechanisms to synchronously compose transactions across different networks. Eventually, this work could enable a single atomic execution context. Users could then move assets between Ethereum-based networks without bridges, which would reduce liquidity fragmentation.

This approach also extends to private Besu networks, a derived version developed by Consensys. According to Lubin, institutions like Citi, DTC, and BNY Mellon use this type of infrastructure. The goal is to bring enterprise chains closer to the public ecosystem while maintaining more transparent integration with existing tools.

From Fragmentation to a Phase of Convergence

Lubin acknowledges that the previous strategy fragmented liquidity. However, he presents this step as a deliberate choice:

We knew we were fragmenting liquidity. We knew we needed a modular architecture where execution would happen elsewhere.

Joe Lubin, co-founder of Ethereum. Source: The Block.

According to him, layer 2s gained the necessary space to explore their models, build their tools, and test different modes of execution. This phase also allowed optimistic rollups to enter the market quickly while ZK technology matured.

Now, the ecosystem is entering a convergence phase. The challenge is to connect existing capabilities rather than multiply isolated networks. Lubin also points out that “some layer 2 technologies should establish themselves as essential building blocks, while others might lose importance if they do not provide clear value.” Expected solutions should distinguish themselves by throughput, privacy, or support for non-EVM applications.

This evolution also concerns governance. Recent departures within the foundation have raised questions, but Lubin dismisses the idea of a second foundation. He rather mentions the creation of several groups stemming from the current organization, with missions focused on protocol, usability, scalability, and institutional outreach.

For Ethereum, the next five years could mark the transition from a dispersed modular architecture to a more coherent structure around ZK proofs. If this trajectory is confirmed, the ETH ecosystem will seek to combine nearly unlimited capacity, better composability, and the maintenance of the mainnet guarantees.