Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has introduced a bold new idea for the network’s future: replacing the long-standing Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with RISC-V, an open-source instruction set widely used in hardware and software systems. The proposal, posted in the Ethereum Magicians forum, signals a potentially game-changing evolution for Ethereum’s scalability and performance—especially in applications involving zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs.
Why Replace the EVM?
While the EVM has been Ethereum’s core execution environment since day one, Buterin points out that its structure is not ideal for modern needs like ZK-EVMs. These applications currently waste valuable computing power proving EVM-based logic. Buterin believes switching to RISC-V, known for its efficiency and simplicity, could improve execution performance up to 100x.
Three Possible Integration Paths
To ease the transition, Buterin laid out three approaches:
- Enable native support for both EVM and RISC-V smart contracts.
- Use RISC-V as a base and run EVM contracts through an interpreter.
- Fully integrate interpreters into the Ethereum protocol.
This signals a serious step forward in Ethereum’s technical roadmap, continuing the network’s mission to optimize for long-term scalability and modularity.
Market Reaction & ETH Price Overview
Ethereum’s price in 2025 has been under pressure. After a strong close in 2024 at over $4,100, ETH began the year at $3,337 before sliding heavily in Q1. In April, it bottomed near $1,470, but a small rebound has taken it back to around $1,690—up 3% in the last 24 hours.
This modest rebound may reflect growing confidence in Ethereum’s long-term vision, especially if major upgrades like RISC-V gain traction. However, the road ahead is likely to be turbulent, with innovation coming alongside market uncertainty.
Final Thought
RISC-V integration could be a massive leap for Ethereum’s infrastructure. While developers may be excited by the technical possibilities, traders should watch how these structural changes translate into adoption and use cases.
This article is not financial advice. Always do your own research before making investment decisions
