Ethereum Breakthrough: How PeerDAS and zkEVM End the Blockchain Trilemma

Ethereum is experiencing a true turning point. Vitalik Buterin recently stated that the network has reached a decisive inflection point — this is not based on short-term narratives, but on the practical implementation of years of technological accumulation. PeerDAS has officially launched on the mainnet, and zkEVM has entered the alpha stage. The combination of these two upgrades is transforming Ethereum from “continuous optimization” into a new architecture capable of global scale. The market is also confirming this turning point through action: ETH has increased by 8.04% over the past 7 days, institutional funds continue to allocate, and trading volume has hit a new all-time high.

The True Significance of Technological Breakthroughs

Systematic Solution to the Three Difficulties

The blockchain industry has long faced the “three difficulties” — scalability, security, and decentralization — which are hard to achieve simultaneously. Ethereum’s solution is a two-layer progressive approach:

PeerDAS redefines the data availability mechanism. Previously, Rollups required all data to be permanently stored on-chain, which became a bottleneck for scalability. PeerDAS enables data to be distributed more efficiently among nodes, significantly reducing the operational costs of Rollups and lowering hardware requirements for nodes. This means verifying Ethereum becomes easier, and decentralization is actually enhanced.

zkEVM provides breakthroughs at the execution layer. It allows developers to introduce zero-knowledge proofs while remaining compatible with existing Ethereum tools, improving privacy and efficiency. Crucially, applications can migrate without rewriting code, greatly reducing ecosystem friction.

Vitalik’s straightforward statement: BitTorrent has high bandwidth but no consensus, while Bitcoin has consensus but limited bandwidth due to full replication. After introducing these two upgrades, Ethereum is expected to achieve decentralization, consensus, and high throughput simultaneously for the first time.

Maturity of Modular Architecture

From a holistic design perspective, Ethereum is forming a clear modular network architecture — with distinct boundaries for execution, settlement, and data availability. Rollups can scale horizontally, with security still anchored on the mainnet. This structure empowers global developers and lowers the participation barrier for ordinary validators.

Market Response and Institutional Confirmation

The importance of these technological breakthroughs is already being recognized by the market.

In terms of price, ETH has recently performed steadily. The current price is $3,216.22, up 1.78% in 24 hours and 8.04% over 7 days. While not explosive, this demonstrates resilience across the market.

More noteworthy is the flow of funds. Over the past 24 hours, CEXs recorded a net outflow of 4,056.15 ETH, including a outflow of 5,827.95 ETH from Coinbase Pro and 2,716.56 ETH from Binance. This reflects a recovery in withdrawal sentiment — institutions and large holders are moving ETH toward self-custody or long-term holdings.

Institutional allocations are also heating up. Seven major entities hold 252,000 ETH (worth over $800 million), ranking as the fifth-largest institutional holder, surpassing the Ethereum Foundation. Since October 2024, they have accumulated at an average price of $3,479, with substantial unrealized gains.

On the trading front, CME Ethereum futures volume has hit a new all-time high. In 2025, the average daily volume of micro Ethereum futures reached 144,000 contracts, setting an annual record; Ethereum futures averaged 19,000 contracts daily, also a yearly high. This indicates a significant increase in institutional traders’ interest in Ethereum.

Clear Future Development Roadmap

Vitalik has provided a clear timeline. Starting from 2026, with the promotion of mechanisms like BAL and ePBS, the Gas limit will gradually increase; between 2026-2028, there will be re-pricing of Gas, adjustments to state structures, and execution load entering blobs; by 2027-2030, zkEVM is expected to become the primary method for network block validation, further driving the increase of Gas limits.

This means Ethereum’s scalability will not be achieved overnight but through an orderly, predictable evolution. Each stage has clear technical goals and timelines.

Summary

Ethereum’s “turning point” is no longer just a vision. PeerDAS is already in use, zkEVM is rapidly progressing, and market data is confirming the importance of this inflection. This is not incremental optimization but a fundamental architectural revolution — the first time that the three difficulties of blockchain are likely to be systematically addressed in practice. For users focused on Ethereum’s long-term value, the next 2-3 years of development could determine whether it becomes a truly global decentralized settlement infrastructure. The market has already begun pricing in this possibility, and ongoing institutional allocations are the best proof.