Vitalik Buterin Proposes Restricted Storage for Ethereum

TLDR

• Vitalik Buterin introduced a restricted storage model to manage Ethereum’s long-term state growth.
• He explained that keyed nonces can support privacy systems and structured storage inside Ethereum.
• Buterin warned that nullifiers from privacy transactions remain on chain permanently.
• He estimated that 2,000 privacy transactions per second could create 500 billion nullifiers in eight years.
• He proposed moving nullifiers into a dedicated restricted storage system instead of the general state.

Vitalik Buterin outlined a plan to curb Ethereum’s long-term data growth through a restricted storage design. He shared the proposal in a detailed post on X and focused on managing blockchain data more efficiently. He said the approach could support privacy features while helping Ethereum scale without overloading its core state.

Vitalik Buterin and Ethereum Outline Keyed Nonces Strategy

Vitalik Buterin explained that keyed nonces can support privacy systems and new storage models inside Ethereum. He wrote that keyed nonces are “not just a way to add stronger in-protocol support for privacy solutions.” He added that they represent an early step toward structured storage systems built for defined purposes.

He centered the discussion on privacy transactions that generate nullifiers to prevent double-spending. He stated that nullifiers stay on the chain permanently and cannot be removed after creation. He warned that constant privacy usage could create about 500 billion nullifiers over eight years at 2,000 transactions per second.

Restricted Storage Model Aims to Reduce Ethereum State Growth

Buterin proposed moving nullifiers into a restricted storage system instead of keeping them in the general Ethereum state. He said this system would limit how nullifiers interact with other data while keeping verification efficient. He argued that nullifiers perform a single validation role, so developers can manage them in a controlled structure.

He explained that this separation could help maintain decentralization by lowering hardware demands on nodes. He said developers could use sharding so each node stores only part of the nullifier dataset. He also referenced bloom filters, which compress verification data into small units per nullifier.

He stated that these tools reduce the burden on individual participants while preserving network integrity. He contrasted this model with a fully dynamic state that requires universal access across all nodes. He said such unrestricted growth could push storage needs toward tens of terabytes over time.

Buterin published these details on Tuesday through his X account. He described the restricted storage concept as a way to design purpose-built systems inside Ethereum. He framed the proposal as part of ongoing work to manage long-term blockchain data growth.

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