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What is RISC-V?

RISC-V, Play “Five Risk”, is the structure of a modern open source instructions (ISA) based on the principles of the RISC. In simple phrases, similar to the scheme that defines a set of instructions that the processor can implement.

RISC-V is designed to be severe UnitsEfficiency and flexibility. It was originally developed by the University of California in 2010, and the open frame is granted the source the developers flexibility to adapt its functions and use, in addition to providing cost savings compared to ISAS such as ARM or X86. This provides a wide range of uses, from super computers to smartphones and now Blockchains Love ethereum.

On April 20, 2025, co -founder of Ethereum Vitalik Buterin The new “radical” scaling unveiled an offer To replace Ethereum (EVM) virtual device (EVM) with RIC-VIt aims to enhance the speed and efficiency of the network implementation layer. The idea is that RISC-V is the best way to solve Blockchain’s solution Expansion Restrictions.

“It aims to improve the efficiency of the ETHEREUM implementation layer significantly, solve one of the initial scaling bottlenecks, and the simplicity of the implementation layer – actually, may also be the only way to do this.

Irrigation: Replace EVM with RISC-V as the virtual machine language that is writing smart contracts. Borin said.

Ethereum continues to face high Transaction fees And reduce the volume of transactions as users turn to layer 2 for the cheapest and fastest transactions. This corresponds to the scaling strategy in Ethereum after the edge (2022). Burin’s idea to reshape the series is an opportunity for her to update and keep it as a better smart platform.

Do you know? ETHEREUM implementation layer has become the main bottleneck. The ineffective treatment of contracts and smart transactions due to the single implementation, the steroid arithmetic design and the complex state administration causes network congestion.

How will RISC-V will work on Ethereum?

Add RISC-V to Ethereum is still just a proposal discussed by society and network governance. BUTERIN defines many methods to implement the proposal, including operating two virtual devices (VMS) or a full key to RISC-V.

The first idea to support the VMS will enable and implement the contracts in the current EVM or RISC-V model. Both types of contracts will be accessible to jobs such as continuous storage, while holding an aromatic (Eth) Bands, make and receive calls. In addition to this, the contract can be incorporated so that they can contact each other.

The alternative approach, described as “more extreme”, will adjust the protocol to transfer existing EVM contracts. This will require rewriting the current contracts to interact with the EVM translator, while new contracts will be written in RISC-V.

One of the main challenges of such a sharp change is to avoid breaking the existing Decentralization applications (DAPS) And smart contracts. Ethereum cannot risk breaking the current written contracts in the current EVM code. The transitional solution can include the use of a translator – mainly a translation layer between different computing languages. This would allow developers to start building using RISC-V while ensuring that old EVM contracts continue to work without disturbance.

Do you know? In 2022, Ethereum made a leap forward in energy efficiency and made more expansion, security and sustainability. In an operation called “Integration”, the chain turned from a Proof of work (POW) Consensus Proof of ascension (POS). This included the inclusion of ETHEREUM MAINNET with a separate Blockchain pos called a lighthouse chain.

The main benefits of RISC-V against EVM

If RISC-V is a major shift in Ethereum structure, what are the benefits of making this change? In the long run, RISC-V will enhance and process smart contracts.

According to Berin, new architecture can make efficiency gains 100x; In fact, it will be difficult to reach this number, but the gains will remain important. Efficiency gains are associated with the suitability of RISC-V for both zero-knowledge proof systems (ZK) and the implementation of the general smart nodes, as it eliminates EVM.

It is not a matter of direct replacement and more about the use of RISC-V as a back interface for ZKEVM or ZK Rollups, where the costs are dominated. Expansion improvements will significantly come to the discharge of the ZK Rollups, with RISC-V improved for the proof.

RISC-V smart contracts can work faster and use fewer mathematical resources. This increased efficiency is likely to be translated into a decrease in gas fees for final users. In this process, the network will also be able to deal with more users and transactions without slowing down. This will be a direct improvement in the expansion of Ethereum, which solves one of the largest points criticized in the Blockchain industry.

In addition, the elastic and flexible instructions for RIC-V is more suitable for EVM anti-ZK accounts, which bear public expenditures of administrative tasks such as gas accounting and state management.

Instead of rebuilding EVM for ZK-poblarsRISC-V provides a simplified alternative, which simplifies the development of the ZK improved implementation layers. This may speed up the ETHEREUM road map for privacy and expansion via ZK Rollups, making RIC-V a convincing supplement to EVM.

Below is a comparative schedule that summarizes the main differences and RISC-V benefits against EVM.

Do you know? Ethereum has gone through many major development features over its first decade. It is worth noting, in 2016, she conducted a difficult thorn for the chain retreating after Dao penetration. The result is still noticeable today with both classic Ethereum and Ethereum chains.

Will RIC-V will be implemented in the future?

Burin’s proposal sparked a vital discussion between Ethereum users and developers. It is an ambitious idea that can be a milestone in the development map of the Blockchain program, the pioneering smart contract.

The programmer Bin Adams has raised many concerns about the proposal: in short, ZK resistance may become more efficient, but there may be a preference. Building and implementation construction, which runs smart contracts, can become much slower.

Bin Adams commented: “The risks here are that ZK’s destruction may improve, but building and implementation will deteriorate significantly.”

Feeling was Repeat By another unknown commentator, “I agree with Bin Adams here, the EVM as a whole depends on the U256, so dispensing RIC-V would reduce the performance of general implementation.”

Others seem to agree that RISC-V was a good idea to help reduce bottlenecks but wondered whether it was a priority, given the difficulty and potential technical cost.

“I agree, it seems a good idea for L1 that solves the 2 and 3 L1 bottoms. But is this the collection of priorities that we want to solve, especially given the technical cost scale here?” Add Adam Kokran.

It is clear that the proposal still needs clarity and more discussions within the Ethereum community. While the promise is one of the radical simplicity that drives efficiency and speed, it also provides a complex technical change. It may require years of dedication to rethinking how 1 Blockchain layer He works.

Of course, as with any decentralized project, the green light not only depends on technical planning; It needs the approval of the community. Therefore, currently, Borin’s proposal opened a wide conversation about any imminent development procedure.