Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a groundbreaking idea to replace Ethereum’s Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with RISC-V, an open-source processor architecture, to address the network’s scaling bottlenecks. In a recent post on the Ethereum Magicians forum, Buterin laid out the reasoning behind this suggestion and how it could revolutionize Ethereum’s execution layer.
The Problem with the EVM
Buterin explained that the execution layer, which handles smart contract execution, is one of Ethereum’s main scalability challenges. The current system, built around the EVM, has limitations that make scaling the network difficult. To overcome this, Buterin proposes starting fresh and leveraging RISC-V as a more efficient alternative to the EVM, while still maintaining the core features of Ethereum’s current smart contract system.
What Would Change?
The major shift would be behind the scenes. Instead of using EVM opcodes like SLOAD and CALL, which are part of the Ethereum architecture, these operations would become system calls (syscalls) in a RISC-V system. In other words, instead of compiling Solidity or Vyper code to EVM bytecode, it would compile to RISC-V bytecode, making the system more efficient.
Why RISC-V?
The main reason Buterin advocates for RISC-V is its compatibility with zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, which are a crucial technology for scaling Ethereum. ZK provers currently need to simulate the EVM by translating it into RISC-V, and Buterin believes that allowing developers direct access to RISC-V would reduce unnecessary complexity and improve efficiency. In some cases, this shift could make operations over 100 times more efficient.
Compatibility and Developer Experience
Buterin reassured that this transition wouldn’t disrupt the current Ethereum ecosystem. All existing EVM-based smart contracts would continue to function and communicate with RISC-V-based contracts seamlessly. Developers would also not need to abandon Solidity or other Ethereum programming languages. Instead, the tooling would adapt, ensuring a smooth transition for developers and minimizing disruption.
Potential Rollout Options
The proposal outlines a few possible ways to implement RISC-V on Ethereum:
Dual-VM Support: Ethereum could support both EVM and RISC-V contracts simultaneously, allowing developers to choose which one to use.
RISC-V Interpreter: Ethereum could run existing EVM contracts through a RISC-V-powered interpreter, maintaining compatibility with the old system while benefiting from the new architecture.
Core Virtual Machine Interpreters: A third option is to make virtual machine interpreters a core part of the protocol, enabling developers to use different VMs, such as Move, in the future.
Lessons from Other Projects
Buterin pointed to projects like Nervos and Polkadot, which are already experimenting with RISC-V. While Ethereum would be a more ambitious implementation, Buterin believes the potential benefits—especially in simplifying the execution layer—make it worth considering for the long-term future of the network.
What’s Next for Ethereum?
While the RISC-V proposal is a long-term vision, Ethereum’s next major upgrade, Pectra, is much closer, scheduled for May 7. Pectra will focus on rollup scaling, user experience improvements, and validator stake limits.
But if Buterin’s RISC-V vision comes to fruition, Ethereum could one day transition to a new virtual machine that better supports scalability, efficiency, and the future of decentralized applications.
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