Joseph Lubin: Ethereum will not appear as a "second foundation" or become a protocol based entirely on zero-knowledge proof in 3 to 5 years

Consensus CEO Joseph Lubin said that Ethereum is expected to develop into a protocol based entirely on zero-knowledge proof (ZKProof) in the next three to five years, which will not only optimize the main chain, but also enhance the combination of Ethereum and Layer2. Joseph Lubin said he supports the "Rollup-centric roadmap" and believes that by strengthening Layer1, introducing the "Lean Ethereum" program, and promoting ZK, the Ethereum base layer can be significantly upgraded. Lean Ethereum aims to achieve more than 10,000 transactions per second while maintaining a high degree of decentralization on the main network, and supports privacy and anti-quantum computing solutions. In terms of Layer2, Joseph Lubin pointed out that ZK technology has achieved real-time certification in some L2 networks, and plans to extend this capability to Layer1, ultimately transitioning to a full ZK basic protocol supported by multiple provers. For example, projects such as Linea Chain and Gnosis developed by Consensus are using zero-knowledge certificates to achieve simultaneous transactions across networks, which is expected to eliminate bridging requirements and unify fragmented liquidity. Joseph Lubin emphasized that the initial "differentiation phase" of the Rollup roadmap aims to provide experimental space for Layer2 technology. Although liquidity may be dispersed in the short term, it lays the foundation for Ethereum's future unlimited expansion and technology iteration. He believes that some L2 technologies will become important components of the system, and this exploration process is necessary. In addition, Joseph Lubin responded to recent personnel changes at the Ethereum Foundation (EF) and rumors about the "Second Foundation", saying that there will be no Second Foundation. EF will continue to focus on core protocol development, usability and expansion, and institutional cooperation. At the same time, it supports the spin-off of at least three independent teams from EF to focus on protocols, user experience and institutional expansion.