- Buterin introduces a “partially stateless” node model to improve Ethereum’s efficiency without compromising privacy.
- The proposal could make running Ethereum nodes less resource-intensive while strengthening censorship resistance.
What happened: Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposes a new node architecture to balance scalability and privacy on the blockchain
Vitalik Buterin has introduced a new concept for Ethereum’s infrastructure: “partially stateless” nodes. On 17 May, the Ethereum co-founder outlined a hybrid node architecture aimed at enhancing both scalability and privacy. These nodes would not require storing the full Ethereum state but could still contribute meaningfully to the network’s security and function.
Buterin’s model proposes three types of nodes: full nodes that store and verify all state data, “stateless” nodes that verify transactions using witnesses (compact proofs), and the new “partially stateless” nodes that hold some key state data and use witnesses for the rest. This could make it more feasible for users to run nodes on lower-capacity devices without sacrificing key decentralisation benefits. Buterin stressed that this approach is meant to increase diversity in node participation without reducing privacy or control.
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Why it is important
Ethereum continues to grapple with the trade-offs between scalability, decentralisation, and privacy. Full nodes are currently resource-intensive to operate, which limits network participation and centralises validation. Stateless clients, proposed in earlier discussions, reduce the burden but depend heavily on third-party data. Buterin’s partially stateless approach attempts to strike a balance, enabling more people to run useful nodes while preserving the core values of Ethereum.
This matters because greater node participation could reduce reliance on centralised providers like Infura or Alchemy, whose role in hosting full nodes has raised concerns about censorship and resilience. Additionally, the concept aligns with the roadmap for Ethereum’s long-term scalability via data sharding and proto-danksharding. Buterin also highlighted how this model would enable “weak statelessness,” allowing light clients to maintain privacy-preserving functionality without full trust in intermediaries.
The proposal is still conceptual, but if implemented, it could reshape how Ethereum users engage with the protocol. This move may inspire similar efforts in other blockchains seeking to improve decentralisation without overburdening participants.
