Buterin Says Ethereum Finally Addressing Its Long-Ignored P2P Networking Layer

TLDR:

• Buterin says Ethereum long undervalued P2P networking, leaving gaps in propagation and node consistency.
  

• PeerDAS uses gossip protocols to distribute blob samples, cutting strain on nodes across the network.
  

• The upgrade expands DAS from EIP-4844, supporting rollups with lighter bandwidth needs and stronger resilience.
  

• Fusaka hard fork positions PeerDAS as the foundation of Ethereum’s next scaling phase and network evolution.

PeerDAS emerges at the center of a renewed effort to strengthen Ethereum’s long-overlooked peer-to-peer layer, an area Vitalik Buterin says the network undervalued for years.

The Fusaka hard fork on December 3, 2025 introduced the upgrade, placing P2P propagation and data availability at the forefront of Ethereum’s scaling roadmap. 

The change marks a shift from earlier periods when the protocol focused heavily on consensus and block production while assuming that networking performance would remain dependable.

Buterin noted that this approach left gaps across the system, creating moments where nodes processed data at different speeds. 

Those delays increased the likelihood of temporary chain inconsistencies and uneven access to rollup data. With PeerDAS now integrated into Ethereum’s P2P framework, the project signals a new phase aimed at improving propagation speed, network privacy, and resilience.

Buterin Says Ethereum Overlooked P2P for Years

In a recent post, Buterin stated that he had long raised concerns inside the Ethereum Foundation about the absence of dedicated P2P expertise. 

He explained that research teams excelled in cryptoeconomics and consensus design but treated networking as a background component that required little attention. He described PeerDAS as evidence that this issue is finally being addressed, crediting Raul Jordan and others for advancing the upgrade.

PeerDAS expands the foundation laid by Data Availability Sampling introduced through EIP-4844 in March 2024. 

That earlier change allowed nodes to verify blobs without downloading full data, which raised layer-2 throughput. Now, PeerDAS adapts that model to Ethereum’s P2P environment, distributing sampling responsibilities across peers rather than relying on centralized availability systems.

By using existing gossip protocols and libp2p, PeerDAS aims to achieve smoother distribution of blob samples. 

This structure reduces bandwidth strain on full nodes and improves stability across the network. The shift demonstrates a broader commitment to address bottlenecks that previously caused some nodes to lag behind others.

PeerDAS Reshapes Network Propagation and Rollup Support

Buterin’s comments arrive as developers work to correct historical limitations in propagation and syncing. 

PeerDAS reduces instances of staleness by ensuring that nodes receive data more uniformly. Faster sample movement helps prevent situations where certain participants operate briefly on outdated information.

The upgrade also aligns with Ethereum’s increasing dependence on rollups. As activity continues shifting to layer-2 systems, reliable data distribution becomes essential for maintaining throughput. 

PeerDAS supports this requirement by spreading availability tasks across the network, allowing validators and light clients to operate efficiently without additional infrastructure.

With the Fusaka hard fork, PeerDAS becomes a defining feature of Ethereum’s next scaling phase. The change signals a concerted effort to refine the networking layer that Buterin says remained under-prioritized for too long.

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