On March 3, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin proposed the Big FOCIL plan to address the centralization of block builders. This proposal was introduced ahead of Ethereum’s upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade and aims to strengthen censorship resistance and decentralized participation at the protocol level.
Buterin explained that the proposed proposer-builder separation mechanism (ePBS) will separate block proposing from building, allowing builders to compete in a permissionless market while proposers select the best bids. However, a few advanced builders might still gain extra value through transaction ordering optimizations. Big FOCIL extends the forward committed inclusion list (FOCIL), enabling more transactions to be randomly selected by verifiers for inclusion in blocks, thereby increasing fairness and limiting builders’ control over transactions.
Additionally, Buterin highlighted the erosion of user value caused by harmful MEV behaviors, such as sandwich and front-running attacks. He proposed using encrypted mempool technology, where transactions remain encrypted until included in a block, preventing malicious reordering and ensuring transaction fairness. Developers are researching efficient methods to verify and decrypt these transactions promptly, balancing user protection with system performance.
Buterin also discussed transaction entry layer and network anonymization solutions, including Tor routing, Ethereum mixing networks, and Flashnet, aiming to prevent RPC providers or public nodes from observing user transactions, thereby reducing risks of sandwich attacks and other malicious activities. In the long term, Big FOCIL combined with distributed block construction and state synchronization optimizations will reduce reliance on global state, lower centralization risks in execution, and maintain the integrity of Ethereum’s core architecture.
As the Glamsterdam upgrade approaches, Buterin stated that developers will continue to review Big FOCIL and related proposals to ensure Ethereum becomes more decentralized, secure, and to enhance the long-term stability and user experience of the decentralized ecosystem.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Vitalik Buterin backs new update to simplify Ethereum node software
Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, unveiled a proposal on Saturday to merge the backend programs that power Ethereum’s Beacon Chain consensus layer with the execution layer into a single codebase. The intention is to remove needless complexity from node operation and lower the barriers for
CryptoBreaking15m ago
Ethereum ETFs See Fourth Consecutive Day of Inflows
Spot Ethereum ETFs have seen four consecutive days of inflows, indicating increased institutional confidence. BlackRock's iShares Ethereum Trust leads with significant inflows, while Fidelity's fund faces outflows, highlighting investor preferences and the growing acceptance of Ethereum in traditional finance.
CryptoFrontNews59m ago
Bitmine Buys 5,000 ETH From Ethereum Foundation in Deal
Ethereum Foundation sold 5,000 ETH to Bitmine at $2,042.96 per coin in a $10.38M OTC transaction.
Proceeds will fund Ethereum research, ecosystem development, and community grant programs.
Bitmine continues expanding its ETH treasury, which now holds over 4.53M ETH worth about $9B.
The Eth
CryptoFrontNews2h ago
Wintermute CEO: Will Continue Holding ETH and Supporting Ethereum's Long-Term Vision
Wintermute CEO Evgeny Gaevoy expressed more criticism than celebration of the Ethereum Foundation's mission statement, believing it can sustain the cypherpunk dream. He noted that the impact on ETH price in the short term is limited, with long-term results depending on goal achievement. He will continue to hold ETH for cultural and meme reasons.
GateNews4h ago
