Vitalik Plans to Replace EVM with RISC-V, Boosting ETH Speed

• Vitalik proposes replacing Ethereum’s EVM with RISC-V to boost execution speed and efficiency.
• This could improve zero-knowledge proving performance by over 50 times in specific use cases.
• Ethereum contracts would remain compatible, with developers still using Solidity or Vyper.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed a bold change to the network’s core system. In a blog post on the Ethereum Magicians forum, Buterin suggested replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with RISC-V, a widely used open-source computing architecture. The goal is to improve Ethereum’s execution speed, reduce costs, and enhance support for zero-knowledge technology.

Buterin’s plan focuses on long-term scalability. He argued that the EVM, which processes smart contract code on Ethereum, has become a bottleneck. Zero-knowledge proof systems already translate EVM code into RISC-V as part of generating proofs, which means developers are effectively using RISC-V indirectly today. Switching directly to RISC-V would eliminate this step, making the system more efficient. Buterin estimates that this change could increase efficiency by more than 50 times in some cases.

If the shift takes place, Ethereum need not change its account model, contract structure, or how contracts communicate. Legacy EVM contracts would still work and remain fully interoperable with new RISC-V-based contracts. Developers could continue writing in Solidity or Vyper, but these languages would adapt to support RISC-V as the new backend. According to Buterin, the experience for developers may remain largely the same.

Other blockchains, including Polkadot PolkaVM, have already experimented with similar ideas. These networks support RISC-V in parallel with their original virtual machines, avoiding a full network overhaul. Ethereum could choose a similar path by supporting EVM and RISC-V, or by gradually converting EVM contracts using a RISC-V interpreter.

Buterin’s proposal comes as Ethereum sees lower activity and falling fees on its main chain. Data from Santiment shows the average transaction fee dropped to $0.16 in April, the lowest since 2020. More users are turning to layer-2 networks for faster and cheaper transactions, while Ethereum’s L1 revenue continues to shrink. Although Ethereum’s next scheduled upgrade, Pectra, is expected in early May, Buterin plans to bring in further changes. 

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Vitalik emphasized that Ethereum must remain competitive with faster chains like Solana and Sui, wherein they offer high performance and low fees, drawing developers and users. Further, he stated that if Ethereum plans to keep pace, a fundamental improvement to the execution layer is necessary.

The community is still reviewing Buterin’s idea. Some see promise in the performance gains, while others raise questions about complexity and compatibility. The Ethereum Foundation has not yet confirmed whether it will adopt the proposal.

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