Buterin stated that the “number of blobs” of the network should be increased and that this change is a critical step to increase the scalability of Ethereum. Stating that the occupancy rate of the blob area introduced with the Dencun update has reached 75%, Buterin emphasized that the current situation is disturbingly close to the ceiling level.

Blob space is a special data storage space introduced with the aim of increasing the scalability of Ethereum. Created under EIP-4844, this area allows layer-2 rollups to temporarily store large amounts of data.

Buterin advocates increasing the number of blobs that can be included in each Ethereum block. Currently the target is a maximum of six blobs, with three blobs per block.

Buterin recommends changing this target from four blobs to a maximum of eight blobs. This change could make it easier for layer-2 networks to upload data to Ethereum by allowing more data to be stored per block.

Buterin’s proposal will be implemented through EIP-7623. EIP-7623 proposes to increase the call cost of data in order to provide data accessibility on Ethereum. This could reduce the maximum block size from 2.7 megabytes to approximately 1MB, paving the way for increasing the number of blobs.

Buterin stated that some layer-2 protocols are hesitant to switch to blobs, which could lead to potential market congestion. “We cannot allow momentum to be lost as more layer-2 transitions to using blobs,” he said, emphasizing the importance of this transition.

While Buterin stated that layer-2 networks are vital for Ethereum to scale, he also emphasized that these networks should be decentralized. He recently stated that he plans to introduce decentralization scaling solutions only in “phase 1.” This is an important statement that reflects Buterin’s vision for the future of Ethereum.

On September 26, Jesse Pollak, creator of Coinbase L2 Base, announced that he supports Buterin’s proposal to increase the number of blobs. Pollak noted that this change “reduces the worst-case block size and adds the necessary capacity for rapidly growing layer-2 networks.” This was received positively by many in the Ethereum community and was considered an important step forward for development.

Ethereum’s Pragya update is also on the agenda. This update will focus on changes to the execution layer of the network, and the Electra update will affect the consensus layer.

The update, called Pectra (Pragya Electra), will include a number of EIPs that will increase scalability, introduce account abstraction, and increase validator staking limits. Ethereum developers suggested splitting the Pectra update into two segments; PectraA and PectraB are planned to accelerate the distribution process.

Buterin’s suggestions and the issues he raises are of critical importance for the Ethereum community. The scalability of the network and the decentralization of layer-2 networks stand out as vital elements for the long-term success of Ethereum.