Vitalik Buterin has once again sparked a discussion about the future of Ethereum, expanding on the details of the Strawmap roadmap. This time, the focus is on how to accelerate block times and prepare for quantum threats. It's interesting to see developers thinking not only about the present but also about risks that could emerge in several decades.

The main idea is to gradually reduce slot times from the current 12 seconds to 2 seconds. Buterin proposes doing this gradually — from 12 to 8, then to 6, 4, and finally to 2 seconds. This will allow the network to adapt without compromising security. At the same time, improvements to peer-to-peer communication are planned so that nodes can exchange data more quickly. According to the developer, the entire process will take approximately four years with incremental upgrades rather than one large overhaul.

But there is a second, no less ambitious goal — to achieve transaction finality within 6–16 seconds instead of the current 16 minutes. Post-quantum hash signatures will assist in this. Buterin called this transition an invasive step because it combines several changes simultaneously. An interesting point is that Ethereum could become quantum-resistant regarding block generation before it does so for finality. This means that if quantum computers suddenly appear, blocks will still be generated, but the guarantees of finality could be at risk.

Meanwhile, activity from Buterin himself is observed on the blockchain. According to Arkham, he has sold 17,196 ETH since early February, exceeding his previous quota of 16,384 ETH. This increase of 4.9% over the planned amount. The total value is estimated at around $34.96 million. Buterin explained that this is part of his contribution to “restraint” and that the funds will be spent on open-source development, security, and hardware over several years.

Regarding the price, ETH has shown interesting dynamics in recent days. Over the past 24 hours, the token has increased by nearly 10% and is currently trading around $2.32k. This surpasses the growth rate of Bitcoin, XRP, and BNB. Analysts note that the current level of $2.1K–$2.15K is a key zone. If ETH maintains this support, further growth to $2.18K, then $2.7K, and up to $3.3K can be expected. If the decline continues, targets drop to $1.74K–$1.7K.