Ethereum Foundation makes interoperability an immediate priority

• Ethereum Interoperability Improves Cryptocurrency User Experience
• ERCs define crucial standards for the Ethereum network and Layer 2
• Ethereum Foundation Bets on Intent-Based Architecture

Ethereum Foundation Researchers highlighted that interoperability will be a central focus of network development in the coming months. In a recent post, the team stated that "we see interoperability and the related projects presented in this note as the biggest leverage opportunity" in the user experience space over the next six to 12 months.

The short-term effort focuses on two fronts: intent-based architecture and modernizing cross-chain messaging systems. The proposal is for users to be able to express intentions or desired outcomes, while the network automatically executes low-level transactions. This process relies on updating the connections between layer 1 and rollups, ensuring that intentions are executed seamlessly.

Among the metrics the foundation aims to optimize are onboarding time, confirmation and settlement speeds in Layer 2 solutions, and a reduction in signatures per transaction. The emphasis on interoperability arises because the Ethereum ecosystem is distributed across multiple Layer 2 protocols, which enhance scalability but also introduce fragmentation issues.

According to the publication, the main challenge lies in standardizing and quickly exchanging messages between chains, which today still faces bottlenecks due to settlement times. To address this limitation, the foundation structured its work into three streams: initialization, acceleration, and finalization.

In the first stream, three initiatives are already underway: the Open Intents framework, the Ethereum interoperability layer, and new technical standards. Open Intents provides a modular intent-based stack and already has operational smart contracts, with audits scheduled for the third quarter and cross-chain validations planned for the end of the year.

The interoperability layer serves as a trustless transport between rollups, supported by the ERC-4337 standard, which expands the use of smart contract wallets. New standards include proposals such as ERC-7828/7930, which introduces interoperable addresses; ERC-7811, which unifies assets across different chains; and ERC-5792 and ERC-7683, which support multi-call flows and common intent formats.

The second stream prioritizes increasing speed across all layers, while the third stream focuses efforts on final adjustments, such as expanded support for zero-knowledge proofs and improvements to layer 1 completion times.