# Ethereum Foundation Researcher Unveils Ambitious ‘Beam Chain’ Proposal at Devcon SEA 2024

By Myung Jeong Seon, Blockmedia

In a major announcement at Devcon SEA 2024 in Bangkok, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake revealed an innovative consensus layer design proposal known as “Beam Chain.” Drake described the Beam Chain as the “most ambitious project” to date, emphasizing its potential to fundamentally enhance Ethereum’s scalability and security. This article delves into what Beam Chain entails and its potential impact on the Ethereum ecosystem.

# What is Beam Chain?

The Beam Chain represents a comprehensive roadmap to redesign Ethereum’s consensus layer, aiming to achieve faster block generation, single slot finality, relaxed staking requirements, and post-quantum security. Additionally, Beam Chain incorporates zk-SNARKs (Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge) to prove transaction validity without exposing data. By transitioning Ethereum into the “ZK era,” Drake anticipates a transformative impact comparable to Ethereum’s shift from Proof of Work (PoW) to Proof of Stake (PoS).

# Block Generation and Transaction Finality: Two Pillars for Network Performance

Drake’s presentation highlighted two key proposals: Slot Time Reduction and Single Slot Finality. Both are expected to significantly enhance Ethereum’s performance while serving distinct functions.

## Slot Time Reduction for Increased Throughput

Slot Time Reduction aims to shorten the interval for new block generation. Currently, Ethereum generates a new block every twelve seconds. Beam Chain proposes reducing this interval to four seconds. This increase in block generation frequency parallels a waiter submitting orders more rapidly, allowing the network to process a higher volume of transactions, thereby improving user experience during NFT minting or DeFi transactions. However, faster block generation alone won’t suffice as the generated blocks still need validation.

## Single Slot Finality for Immediate Transaction Confirmation

Single Slot Finality ensures that a generated block is irreversibly validated within a single slot (four seconds), enhancing the user experience by confirming transactions instantly. Presently, Ethereum requires about fifteen minutes (2-3 epochs) for block finality. This delay creates opportunities for issues like Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) extraction, where block creators reorder transactions for additional profit, potentially harming regular users. Single Slot Finality aims to eliminate this delay, reducing finality time to four seconds, which could be transformative for exchanges, gaming, and real-time applications, vastly improving transaction and development experience.

# Lowered Staking Requirements: Opening New Participation Opportunities

Beam Chain proposes reducing the minimum staking requirement for validators from the current 32 ETH to 1 ETH, thereby democratizing network participation and promoting further decentralization. Drake lauded this change as “a great opportunity for new entrants,” urging the Ethereum community to embrace the proposal.

# Integrating ZK Technology for Enhanced Scalability and Security

Beam Chain suggests directly integrating ZK technology into Ethereum’s mainnet (Layer 1), an ambitious step toward improving performance. By leveraging zk-SNARKs, traditionally used in Layer 2 solutions, on the mainnet, Beam Chain aims to process larger volumes of transactions without gas fee constraints and bolster security against quantum computing threats.

# The Future of Layer 2 After Beam Chain Implementation

While Layer 2 solutions have been vital for addressing Ethereum’s scalability issues, the enhancements proposed by Beam Chain might reduce the necessity for Layer 2 in the future. Nevertheless, Drake clarified that Beam Chain would only affect the consensus layer, not altering Layer 2 structures directly. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin also underscored the ongoing importance of Layer 2, noting that collaboration between Layer 1 and Layer 2 is crucial for optimizing the Ethereum ecosystem.

# Community Reaction: Balancing Hopes and Concerns

Community responses to the announcement have been mixed. While many agree with the long-term vision of Beam Chain, concerns about timing and competition have surfaced. The project is expected to take at least five years to implement, raising fears about lagging behind rapidly evolving competitors like Solana. Drake addressed these concerns, stating that the five-year timeline is a conservative estimate and stressing the partial nature of Beam Chain’s improvements, which should be viewed within the context of Ethereum’s overall roadmap.

# Will Beam Chain Be Ethereum’s Biggest Upgrade?

Beam Chain is viewed as the most significant evolution since Ethereum’s 2022 “The Merge,” which successfully transitioned from PoW to PoS, reducing energy consumption by over 99 percent. Just as The Merge addressed energy efficiency, Beam Chain aims to mark a new milestone in scalability and security. Although it faces technical and consensus challenges, if implemented, Beam Chain could significantly enhance the performance and decentralization of the Ethereum network.