Ethereum Beam Chain: Major Upgrade to Revolutionize the Consensus Layer

Since its inception, Ethereum has undergone a transition from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS). However, core researchers at the Ethereum Foundation believe that although the Beacon Chain has performed excellently in introducing PoS, it has accumulated some technical debt in recent years, and its design has not fully leveraged cutting-edge decentralized system technologies like zero-knowledge proofs. Therefore, a significant update is urgently needed for Ethereum's consensus layer.

At the recent Bangkok Developer Conference, an Ethereum researcher proposed a project called "Beam Chain" aimed at fundamentally reforming the consensus layer of Ethereum. This is part of Ethereum's long-term development plan, with the goal of significantly improving the network's scalability and performance by leveraging current breakthroughs in zero-knowledge cryptography, without launching a new network. Undoubtedly, this will become one of the most critical upgrades for Ethereum in the next 3-5 years.

Beam Chain is not a new blockchain in the literal sense, but a new infrastructure built within the Ethereum mainnet. It will significantly enhance the transaction speed, security, and efficiency of the L1 mainnet. It should be clarified that Beam Chain is not Ethereum 3.0, as it focuses solely on addressing consensus layer issues and does not involve changes to the data layer (such as blob channels) or the execution layer (such as the Ethereum Virtual Machine).

Beam Chain will bring five core transformations:

1. Faster block confirmation: Achieve 4 seconds slot time and single-slot finality.
2. Maintain Decentralization: Sustain or improve the existing decentralized guarantees
3. Lower the staking threshold: Reduce the ETH staking requirement from 32 ETH to 1 ETH
4. Protecting ordinary users: Eliminating MEV (Maximum Extractable Value) based on blockchain reorganization
5. Looking to the Future: Providing Quantum Resistance for the Ethereum Network

The Upgrade Concept and Principles of Beam Chain

1. Increase block production

• Increased Throughput: Beam Chain increases the block production rate to three times the current level to enhance Ethereum's transaction processing capacity.
• Strengthening censorship resistance: Introducing FOCIL (Fork Choice Mandatory Inclusion List) mechanism to ensure transactions are not easily excluded by malicious actors.
• Execute auction and validator isolation: Achieve validator isolation through executing auctions, enhancing performance and decentralization while reducing the risk of users being affected by MEV.
• Accelerate finality: Achieve single-slot finality and 4-second block times, speeding up transaction confirmations and improving network efficiency.

It is worth noting that exchanges will no longer need to wait for multiple block confirmations; in the future, a single block will be sufficient for confirmation.

2. Optimize Staking Mechanism

• Improved Reward Model: Adjust the validator's reward issuance model to increase staking returns.
• Lower staking requirements: Independent validators only need to stake 1 ETH, significantly lower than the current threshold of 32 ETH, making independent staking more accessible.

This breakthrough is attributed to the application of zero-knowledge technology, which allows Ethereum to speed up while accommodating more nodes to participate in consensus without significantly increasing hardware requirements, successfully breaking through the impossible triangle of staking.

3. Enhance Security

• Post-quantum cryptography: Implementing quantum-resistant cryptography to protect networks from future quantum computing threats.
• Integration of Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Enhance privacy, scalability, and security through the integration of zkSNARK and zkVM.
• SNARK-enabled blockchain: Utilizing RISC-V technology to SNARK-enable the blockchain, enhancing the efficiency and scalability of proof generation.
• Enhance Randomness: Introduce a robust randomness mechanism to ensure the fairness of key network processes such as validator selection.
• Reduce MEV risk: Minimize bot activities such as sandwich attacks by enhancing review resistance.

4. How it works

Beam Chain leverages significant advancements in cryptography in the field of SNARKs over recent years, achieving a 4-second slot time and single-slot finality by SNARKing Ethereum's state transition function. This not only enhances the L1 transaction experience but also reduces MEV by eliminating remote block reorganization strategies, while lowering technical debt on the consensus layer. Furthermore, SNARKing will also endow the Ethereum network with quantum resistance.

The specific implementation of Beam Chain includes:

• Use sharding technology to speed up processing.
• Use advanced encryption technology to ensure quantum computing security.
• Seamlessly integrate with Ethereum's existing roadmap

5. Important Significance

Beam Chain is crucial for enhancing Ethereum's ability to handle the growing number of decentralized applications. It will improve scalability, reduce transaction costs, and enhance overall security, enabling the network to support more users and complex applications.

SNARK-based proofs also allow regular stakers to achieve performance advantages using standard hardware. As the staking threshold lowers and network performance improves, the decentralization of the Ethereum staking community will also be enhanced.

Although Beam Chain will not immediately change Ether, it will alter the priority of the roadmap development and accelerate the development of certain components. If sufficient community support is obtained, developers may start drafting specifications next year, write production-level code in 2026, conduct testing in 2027, and ultimately deploy safely on the Ethereum mainnet.

In summary, Beam Chain addresses the past "technical debt" through a zero-knowledge approach, significantly improving its L1 functionality while maintaining the high decentralization of Ethereum. Long-term solutions such as quantum resistance introduced by the new ideas place Ethereum's consensus layer in a "maintenance mode," ensuring its security, efficiency, and adaptability for decades to come, laying the foundation for future innovations.

Ethereum continues to make long-term plans, which is an exciting development for the entire blockchain industry. This also provides a solid foundation for us to maintain an optimistic attitude towards Ethereum in the current active market environment.