- The impending Dencun update of Ethereum is anticipated to slash the gas expenditures on Layer-2 networks, markedly enhancing both accessibility and efficiency.
- Concurrently, Ethereum’s tariffs have surged to their apex in two years, propelled by speculative trading in meme tokens and the ascending valuation of Bitcoin.
The current situation and upcoming updates in the Ethereum network have significant implications for its system, particularly in terms of efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability.
The implementation of the Dencun update, which introduces proto-danksharding through Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 4844, question we have previously developed in ETHNews, is designed to address several key challenges faced by the network.
Reduction of Gas Costs and Improvement in Accessibility
The rise in Ethereum network fees has been a constant concern for users and developers, as it directly impacts accessibility and the feasibility of operations and developments on the network.
With average fees reaching $28 per transaction on the main network, and surpassing $1 on the Arbitrum Layer-2 network, conducting smaller transactions or developing decentralized applications (DApps) has become prohibitively expensive for many.
The Dencun update seeks to reduce these gas costs on Layer-2 (L2) networks by at least 80%, which would represent a significant improvement in Ethereum’s accessibility and utility for a wider range of users and applications.
Improvements in Scalability and Efficiency
By introducing blobs as a new transaction type that significantly reduces data availability costs, the Dencun update will allow L2 networks to process transactions more efficiently. This translates into an enhanced ability to handle a higher volume of transactions without incurring the high costs associated with increased network traffic.
Improving scalability in this way is crucial for Ethereum’s sustained growth, especially as it looks to expand beyond decentralized finance (DeFi) and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) into more complex and mass-use applications.
Impact on the Sustainability of the Ethereum Ecosystem
The reduction in the ETH supply due to the fee-burning mechanism, which has removed approximately 33,000 ETH from the circulating supply, is another important factor. Although this mechanism has contributed to a decrease in supply, which is potentially positive for the long-term value of ETH, it has also highlighted the need for a more efficient system that does not solely rely on high fees for its economic sustainability.
The successful implementation of the Dencun update and subsequent improvements could provide a more balanced foundation for the network’s economic growth, better balancing supply and demand without sacrificing accessibility.
