- Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap proposes seven protocol forks through 2029 on a six-month cadence.
- Plan targets 2-second slots and 6–16 second finality using redesigned consensus mechanisms.
- Roadmap includes quantum-resistant cryptography and native shielded ETH transfers.
The Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap document was drafted by Ethereum Foundation researchers and presents long-term Layer 1 upgrades. It is mainly focused on faster slots, quicker finality, and quantum-resistant design.
Seven Forks Planned Through 2029
January 2026 Ethereum Foundation workshop, Researcher Justin Drake introduced long-term coordination.
The document extends beyond near-term All Core Dev planning cycles. The roadmap proposes seven forks by the end of the decade.
It assumes a cadence of one fork roughly every six months. However, the timeline remains flexible and subject to research progress.
Unlike short-term fork planning resources, the Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap maps technical dependencies years ahead. It organizes upgrades across consensus, data, and execution layers.
Each fork includes defined headliners to maintain development focus and delivery speed.
Fast Slots and Finality Redesign
A central objective within the Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap is faster Layer 1 performance.
Vitalik Buterin described an incremental path where slot times could gradually decrease from 12 seconds to 2 seconds.
Finality reduction follows a parallel track. Current finality averages around 16 minutes.
Buterin outlined a staged approach that could reduce finality to between 6 and 16 seconds under a redesigned consensus structure.
One proposed path shows finality moving from 16 minutes to 10 minutes and 40 seconds with 8-second slots.
Further adjustments, including one-epoch finality and Minimmit-style BFT mechanisms, could reduce finality to 48 seconds, then 16 seconds, and potentially 8 seconds.
These changes would be introduced progressively across forks.
Quantum Resistance and Privacy Integration
The Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap also prioritizes post-quantum security. Researchers are evaluating hash-based signature schemes for durable cryptography.
Buterin noted that large consensus shifts may coincide with quantum-resistant upgrades. Three approaches to recent Poseidon2 concerns are under review.
Options include increasing round counts, reverting to Poseidon1, or adopting BLAKE3. These decisions aim to align Ethereum’s cryptography with long-term resilience goals.
In addition, the roadmap introduces a “Private L1” objective. Native shielded ETH transfers would provide first-class privacy at the base layer.
The plan also references “gigagas L1” and “teragas L2” targets, aiming for 10,000 transactions per second on Layer 1 and up to 10 million transactions per second on Layer 2 through zkEVMs and data availability sampling.
The Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap remains a working draft. It is maintained by the EF Architecture team and will receive quarterly updates.
Drake described it as a coordination tool rather than an official roadmap. Buterin characterized the document as a structured technical sequence tied to slot reductions, finality redesign, and cryptographic upgrades.
He noted that slot time adjustments will proceed when confidence in network safety allows. The Strawmap frames Ethereum’s long-term evolution through measurable engineering milestones.
By setting defined performance targets while leaving room for research-driven adjustments through 2029.