Ethereum Foundation: Promote 128-bit security threshold in 2026, prioritize security instead of performance competition

The Ethereum Foundation announced that it will fully introduce the 128-bit security standard in 2026 to align supervision and attract institutional funds.
(Previous summary: Synthetix returns to the Ethereum mainnet after three years: all DEX will come back)
(Background supplement: Vitalik Buterin: "Simplify" the Ethereum protocol so that everyone can understand it! Only then can decentralization be launched)

Contents of this article

The Ethereum Foundation recently announced that it will integrate the mainnet with zkEVM in 2026 The development priority has shifted from "speed" to "security", with the goal of completing the 128-bit provable security standard by the end of the year.

The foundation admitted frankly that the current zkEVM still relies on unverified mathematical assumptions, and there are risks such as forged transactions, status tampering, and coin minting out of thin air. In order to reduce the attack surface, a unified security audit will be launched in early 2026; the proof size is expected to be controlled to 300 KB through the WHIR protocol in the middle of the year, so as to reach the 100-bit threshold first; eventually, combined with the Glamsterdam upgrade in May and the Hegota upgrade at the end of the year, the 128-bit standard will be fully met.

Three-phase milestones and technical specifications

Milestone one: soundcalc integration

Deadline: end of February 2026

To consistently measure security, we developed soundcalc: A set of tools to estimate zkVM security based on the latest cryptographic security bounds and proven system parameters. This is a "continuously evolving" tool, and we will continue to integrate the latest research results and known attacks.

Before this deadline, participating zkEVM teams need to fully integrate their proven system components with all circuitry into soundcalc. This will establish a common baseline for subsequent safety assessments.

Milestone 2: Glamsterdam

Deadline: end of May 2026

• Provable safety 100-bit (estimated by soundcalc)

• Final proof size ≤ 600 KiB

• Provide a concise description of the recursive architecture and a conceptual explanation of its soundness

Milestone 3: H-star

Deadline: end of 2026

• Provable security up to 128-bit (estimated by soundcalc)

• Final proof size ≤ 300 KiB

• Provide aformal security demonstration for the soundness of the recursive architecture

Regulatory dividends promote institutional layout

In the short term, the development community will inevitably invest more resources in proving safety, and the pace of expansion may slow down. However, risk control is the first priority for high-value applications and institutional funds, and the 128-bit threshold is expected to become a stepping stone for the L1/L2 ecosystem to absorb large funds. EF emphasized in the statement:

"Resistance to attacks is the only way to attract high-value applications."

Ethereum is hardening the foundation for the global digital financial infrastructure in the next decade. After all, speed wins the spotlight, but impeccable safety is the guarantee of long-term trust.