Ethereum may undergo a key ZK scaling transformation in 2026

Researchers and developers anticipate that by 2026, some Ethereum validators will no longer re-execute transactions, but will instead directly verify zero-knowledge proofs (ZK). This transformation is considered as significant as Ethereum's 2022 transition from PoW to PoS, known as "The Merge." Ethereum researcher Justin Drake stated that the first batch of validators will verify the ZK proofs for each block, bringing instant scalability to Layer 1 and laying the foundation for a future throughput of 10,000 TPS. Currently, Ethereum mainnet throughput is about 30 TPS. It is expected that by the end of 2026, around 10% of validators will switch to the ZK verification model, significantly reducing hardware requirements while maintaining network decentralization.