Ethereum's 'Strawmap' Outlines Ambitious Roadmap Through 2029

The Ethereum Foundation has unveiled a comprehensive upgrade plan, dubbed the “Strawmap,” outlining seven projected forks through 2029. This roadmap prioritizes faster transaction speeds, increased network capacity, and enhanced security, including post-quantum cryptography. Key goals include reducing block times and achieving near-instant finality (seconds vs. current 16 minutes) through a shift towards a one-round BFT algorithm called Minimmit. The plan targets 10,000 transactions per second (TPS) on Layer 1 and supports scaling Layer 2 networks to 10 million TPS. A major focus is addressing potential vulnerabilities to quantum computing by replacing current cryptographic foundations like BLS signatures and KZG commitments with quantum-resistant alternatives, such as hash-based signatures and STARKs. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin emphasized the importance of careful hash function selection and incremental upgrades. The Strawmap also aims to introduce native privacy features like shielded ETH transfers. While acknowledging the challenges of roadmapping in a decentralized environment, the Foundation views this as a proactive step towards accelerating Ethereum's evolution.