Devcon has consistently served as a dynamic mirror of Ethereum’s evolution, obstacles, and collective aspirations. It highlights the most urgent issues, the latest advancements, and the individuals shaping the future of decentralized technologies. As Ethereum continues to evolve, so does Devcon.
Two years prior, just before Devcon VI in Bogotá, the Merge transitioned Ethereum’s consensus mechanism from proof of work to proof of stake. The focus of Devcon VI was not solely on celebrating this achievement but also on anticipating future innovations: early Layer-2 developments, the launch of Account Abstraction (AA), and the emergence of zero knowledge proofs (ZKPs) as an expansion of Ethereum.
Fast forward to current times; Devcon SEA acknowledged the ecosystem’s preparedness to tackle the forthcoming significant challenges. The sessions demonstrated the progress Ethereum has made, including advancements in Ethereum’s L1 and L2s, enhancements in user experience, and the way second-generation cryptographic methods are enabling innovative applications. The narrative has shifted from resolving fundamental issues to utilizing Ethereum for tangible real-world benefits.
In this blog entry, we will delve into how Ethereum has progressed since Devcon VI, what the primary outcomes of Devcon SEA were, the existing challenges, and how you can participate so that we can rejoice in the next phase of Ethereum when we gather for Devcon once more.
Reflecting on Devcon VI: The distance we have traveled
To set the context, let us contemplate where we stood merely two years ago: Devcon VI was convened in Bogotá, Colombia, in October 2022. It united the Ethereum community to tackle essential technical and governance issues. At that moment, the Merge had just occurred, and the event symbolized the celebration of this significant milestone while concentrating on emerging innovative technologies.
Devcon VI unveiled major themes for the first time and terms that many attendees were unfamiliar with then:
- Zero Knowledge Proofs were introduced to a broader segment of the Ethereum ecosystem. They were beginning to gain practical application, and individuals started to grasp their potential. There was no discussion yet of other cryptographic primitives like Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) or Multi-Party Computation (MPC).
- Account Abstraction was newly introduced and just declared. Most people were not familiar with EIP-4337, which had not yet been enacted at that point.
- The Layer 2 ecosystem was in its infancy with only a few notable L2s such as Arbitrum and Optimism, marking the initiation of the L2-focused roadmap.
- Staking infrastructure was in its early stages with ongoing uncertainties, as staking withdrawals had not yet been activated.
- Censorship resistance, an age-old subject, was at the forefront of discussions, particularly regarding OFAC compliance and Tornado Cash sanctions
Devcon SEA: Ethereum’s infrastructure is prepared; now it’s time for impact
Devcon SEA took place in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2024. Participant numbers doubled in comparison to Devcon VI (12,500 versus 6,000 attendees), illustrating Ethereum’s growth and community resilience. A pivotal objective of Devcon SEA was to unite the entire Ethereum ecosystem in one location, encourage collaboration, facilitate cross-pollination, and realign the community to enhance Ethereum for real-world applications and impact.
Since the occurrence of Devcon VI, the ongoing implementation of PoS alongside other upgrades such as Shanghai and Shapella has reduced energy consumption, gas fees, and enhanced user experience. The landscape of L2 has broadened, with the total value locked in Ethereum L2 networks surpassing 16.6 billion in November 2023. The integration of ZKPs into Ethereum has progressed significantly, leading to an increase in tangible use cases, with DeFi and stablecoins becoming more advanced, while sectors such as gaming, digital identity, quadratic funding, and prediction markets are beginning to emerge.
However, over these past two years, the Ethereum community has engaged in discussions about its direction and priorities. While Layer 2s play a crucial role in scaling, the emergence of new L2s has brought about various subcultures, igniting debates on how to sustain unity. Many advocated for a reversion to Ethereum’s cypherpunk origins, emphasizing privacy, decentralization, and credible neutrality – principles that some believed were being overshadowed by the perception of Ethereum as a product rather than as a protocol. There was a collective urgency to reestablish a shared vision.
Devcon SEA sought to engage in these discussions by welcoming the finest minds in the ecosystem to present their perspectives on the most pertinent subjects. The event featured over 300 hours of content from ecosystem authorities, 17 Community Hubs organized by the community, 70 Impact Spaces, and numerous dialogues during the extensive hallways.
Devcon SEA ignited dialogues regarding Ethereum’s most critical challenges, controversies alongside accomplishments, and several significant announcements were made as well. Justin Drake articulated his visionof a Beam Chain, and the Argot Collective, a newly formed entity that represents many of our collective principles regarding Ethereum, introduced itself.
Continue reading to uncover the key takeaways from Devcon SEA, and which presentations you ought to view to get updated if you wish to engage in the ongoing challenges related to the respective subjects.
Ethereum has expanded, and Layer 2s are advantageous for Ethereum
Proto-danksharding, EIP-4844, blobs, and the roll-up centric roadmap – The scaling techniques emphasized at Devcon SEA illustrated how much progress Ethereum has made. Layer 2s, which are enhancing Ethereum’s scalability, are witnessing substantial uptake. Daily user engagement has surged dramatically, and the overall value locked continues to rise steadily. We enjoy low fees, allowing the transfer of 1, 100, or even 1 million dollars for under a cent. All L2s are and will be protected by the Ethereum L1 Mainnet, which is resilient and secure, boasting over 1 million validators and has remained operational since its inception in 2015.
There is still much work to be done to achieve the rollup-centric roadmap, minimize fragmentation, and enhance security. Watch the presentations below to learn how to assist in addressing these hurdles for Ethereum’s next phase:
Ethereum embodies cypherpunk values
Devcon SEA reminded us of our purpose and the importance of creating a decentralized future, emphasizing principles such as credible neutrality, privacy, resistance to censorship, open accessibility, and a collaborative spirit. A dedicated programming track was held to promote this ideology, along with the Hacktivism Hub, organized by members of the community.
View these talks to stay informed about the cypherpunk manifesto:
In addition to cypherpunk values, philosophy and ethos significantly influenced Devcon SEA. Aya Miyaguchi, the executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, elaborated on the philosophy of subtraction in her presentation “Redefining boundaries in the infinite garden,” detailing the operational approach of the Ethereum Foundation, alongside a dedicated programming day for d/acc (defensive acceleration), which is the philosophy first put forth by Vitalik Buterin, concentrating on Ethereum as a defensive technology, along with discussions surrounding biodefense, decentralized AI, neurotechnology, and public epistemics.
UX is being prepared for mass adoption
ERC 4337, ERC 7683, EIP 7702, and ERC 3668 are a few illustrations of how Ethereum is gearing up for users. Gas fees remain low, user experience is enhancing, and Devcon SEA ignited our enthusiasm for Ethereum feeling unified again. The community initiated the Account Abstraction and Adoption Hubs, with numerous talks concentrated on making Ethereum accessible to mainstream users.
Social recovery is merely the beginning. Check out the talks below to find out how you can help enhance Ethereum’s UX, particularly if you are developing a rollup or a wallet, to catch up on the latest advancements in UX and Account Abstraction:
The moment for real-world applications is now
Ethereum is designed for users, and the application ecosystem has never been more robust than it is today, though we are still only beginning to explore Ethereum’s capacity for real-world applications. Ethereum serves multiple functions and operates as a versatile platform.
Ethereum hosts its most developed use cases: DeFi and stablecoins. DeFi represents financial services and tools built on Ethereum that are accessible to everyone globally, granting individuals greater management over their finances. Ethereum boasts hundreds of teams developing DeFi protocols. Stablecoins also empower every individual to transact and convey value globally.
Ethereum is also where innovative use cases emerge, and new concepts are developed; it is “where ideas enter production” (Josh Stark). We have decentralized social networks, on-chain gaming, digital identities with ENS, Anon Adhaar, and zk passport, tangible infrastructure, quadratic funding via Gitcoin and clr.fund, and prediction markets such as Polymarket.
If you are curious about the applications currently under development on Ethereum or if you need inspiration to create more dapps, here are some presentations to view:
Economics of Ethereum and ETH
The dialogues at Devcon SEA reaffirmed the intrinsic value of Ethereum and ETH in the digital economy, based on sound economic principles, strong incentives, and alignment with long-term objectives for decentralized ecosystems.
Presentations to check out:
New applications powered by second-generation cryptography
Devcon SEA showcased thousands of cryptographic plush frogs, handed out by the 0xPARC group at the Frogcrypto Hub. Attendees gathered frogs, and each time they scanned the QR code, they obtained a provable object data (POD). Every Devcon ticket represented a POD within Zupass, an application that allows individuals to safely store and manage Proof-Carrying Data (PCD). These cryptographic concepts have existed in theory for numerous years and are now becoming a reality, and when integrated with Ethereum, we are able to create applications that were previously unfeasible. While only ZKPs were the focus at Devcon VI, a recent emergence of new cryptographic primitives like FHE and MPC are now being utilized to facilitate decentralized, privacy-respecting computation and interoperability, revealing innovative and intricate use cases for consumer applications based on Ethereum.
We are just starting to grasp the vast possibilities with second-generation cryptographic primitives, and these opportunities are broadening our imagination. We require more individuals to develop and merge ZKPs, second-generation cryptography, and Ethereum. If you wish to do so, observe:
Ethereum is cutting-edge technology
Devcon SEA additionally served as a venue for interdisciplinary cooperation, where Ethereum was deliberated alongside various cutting-edge technologies and in the framework of our society’s future.
These sessions emphasized Ethereum’s capacity to motivate and integrate with broader technological and societal issues:
The Ethereum community is robust and worldwide
The Ethereum community is not only growing; it is expanding on a global scale: At Devcon SEA, we hosted 12,500 participants, with 60% experiencing their first Devcon. Attendees came from 135 nations, marking this as the most international and diverse Devcon ever.
The Ethereum community is not just diverse in nationalities and ethnicities – the variety of interests, identities, and focal areas is vast with developers, protocol researchers, stakers, degens, regens, activists, artists, educators, among many others being part of the Ethereum community. Devcon SEA included 17 Community Hubs, from the DeSci Hub, Global Majority Hub, and Onchain Creators Hub, to the Governance Geeks Hub, showcasing the diversity and opportunities to engage within the Ethereum community. The Community Gardeners Hub concentrated on Ethereum community builders from around the globe. In 2024, 73 local Ethereum gatherings spanning 44 countries were planned globally. Our community is decentralized and worldwide, as Ethereum itself.
Now is the time to influence the future of Ethereum leading to Devcon 8
Devcon SEA was not merely a snapshot of Ethereum’s current position; it provides a vision of where it might lead in the future. Devcon SEA illustrated how Ethereum translates concepts into actions, and each participant carries forward the insights gained to continue promoting and enhancing Ethereum’s mission. Who knows, the next individual to shape Ethereum’s future might have first encountered its concepts at Devcon SEA.
Devcon SEA images and materials
- Discover photographs from Devcon SEA here.
- You can browse and view all presentations in the Devcon Passport app.
- DEVAi is at your service to address all inquiries related to Devcon and will soon have access to all talk transcriptions. You can already find summaries of each talk within the Passport app.
- Want to share further insights about Devcon presentations? Visit the Devcon Collab Portal.
What comes next?
Summary:
- Devconnect 2025
- Devcon 2026
Devconnect is another, entirely distinct event organized by the Ethereum Foundation. While Devcon is the large gathering that unites everyone in a single location, Devconnect is more distributed. Devconnect consists of numerous different occasions, concentrating on varied Ethereum themes, organized by specialists in those areas. Devconnect is the opportunity to delve deep into the subject you’re most knowledgeable about or wish to master, joining full-day programs focused on that sector.
Where will Devconnect 2025 and Devcon 8 occur? You will need to be patient just a little longer to learn that, and in the interim, you can submit your suggestion for Devcon, Devconnect, or other Ethereum events to be held in your city.
Until next time, love and hugs
Deva the Devcon Unicorn & the Devcon team
