A new Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP-7781), introduced by Ben Adams on October 5, could significantly increase the Ethereum network’s efficiency.
If approved, the proposal would reduce block times from 12 seconds to 8 seconds, resulting in a 50% boost in throughput. It also aims to increase blob capacity, which could reduce layer-2 network fees and improve the performance of decentralized exchanges (DEXs).
Ethereum developer Cygaar referred to EIP-7781 as a critical step toward improving Ethereum’s base layer, complementing the growing focus on layer-2 scaling solutions. By lowering block times, decentralized exchanges like Uniswap v3 could see a 22% increase in efficiency, potentially saving users up to $100 million in arbitrage costs annually.
However, concerns have been raised about the impact on solo stakers. Shorter block times may require more powerful hardware and faster bandwidth, making it harder for individual stakers to participate.
Despite these challenges, the proposal has received support from Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, aligning with Vitalik Buterin’s broader goals for Ethereum scalability.