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A few months back, we revealed a revitalized emphasis of Protocol on three strategic endeavors: Scale L1, Scale blobs, Enhance UX. Following earlier updates on Scale L1 and Scale blobs, this communication is regarding our “Enhance UX” initiative, along with its objective:
Fluid, secure, and permissionless interaction across the Ethereum ecosystem, tailored for individuals and organizations.
We perceive interoperability, along with associated projects outlined in this note, as the most significant leverage point within the wider UX field over the forthcoming 6-12 months, given our role as a public, core Ethereum R&D team.
The immediate strategy concentrates on areas we believe will stay crucial facets of interoperability: Intent-driven architecture and general message-passing. For both components, our goal is to emphasize distinct, quantifiable protocol metrics to reduce latency and expense, while enhancing security and trustlessness. These metrics encompass: Signatures per operation, time-to-inclusion, time-to-fast-confirmation, time-to-finality, and time-to-L2-settlement.
We categorize our efforts into three streams:
- Initialization: Make intents more modular and lightweight while fortifying shared standards for seamless and secure transfer of assets across all chains.
- Acceleration: Lower latency and costs, expedite endeavors for swifter inclusion, confirmation, finality, and settlement.
- Finalization: Incorporate frontier consensus (rapid finality) and cryptography (SNARKs with real-time proving) to facilitate quick, permissionless crosschain messaging.
Why prioritize interop?
The Ethereum ecosystem comprises our L1 mainnet and the numerous L2s that permissionlessly extend Ethereum beyond the boundaries of L1. These extensions offer vital entry points and scaling possibilities for Ethereum, yet also introduce their own challenges, most notably the pressures of fragmentation on the Ethereum experience and its economy.
There are various potential interpretations of what it means to “address interop” and the degree to which interop is already realized. While much of the infrastructure and technology is ready (or soon will be), several steps remain to effectively bring these solutions to all users and seamlessly integrate them into their daily UX.
At its core, the crucial components to expedite interop distill down to facilitating rapid crosschain message-passing and standardization. Presently, message-passing is somewhat hindered by slow settlement intervals. While efforts are ongoing to eliminate these bottlenecks, we possess infrastructure we can utilize today to resolve the most common user flows and deliver a cohesive experience across the Ethereum ecosystem.
Nevertheless, interop is not the sole UX challenge confronting Ethereum users. At the conclusion of this note, we showcase distinct EF initiatives addressing various aspects of user-centered development, with a stronger focus on security and privacy. Additionally, many more opportunities to enhance Ethereum UX will be sought and realized by projects in our ecosystem. We are eager to celebrate their accomplishments and continue collaborating to fortify the core attributes of Ethereum.
Stream 1: Initialization
Intents represent one approach to enhance UX for crosschain interactions, simplifying the complexities of crosschain mechanics and refining the result of an action. We define intents as a high-level articulation of what a user aspires to accomplish on-chain, without dictating the specific low-level transactions that should be executed. Intents are declarative (“I desire this outcome, I’m adaptable regarding how it’s achieved”), while transactions are prescriptive (“execute this contract with these parameters”).
The intent layer is situated between order-flow interfaces (wallets) and deeper interoperability infrastructure (bridges, whether canonical or private). Consequently, it serves as a pivotal point to support, harnessing both the wallets’ proficiency to deliver optimal UX and the bridges’ capacity to settle the numerous assets deployed across Ethereum.
Nonetheless, intent protocols can frequently impose trust assumptions on solver intermediaries, potentially leading to censorship vectors and privacy concerns. Alternative methodologies, such as crosschain messaging bridges or the Ethereum Interoperability Layer (EIL), also promote interop without solver dependencies. Collectively, these initiatives expand the design possibilities for interoperability.
Project #1: Open Intents Framework
Key Insight: Establishing the basis of neutral infrastructure that supports intent-driven crosschain protocols.
The Open Intents Framework (OIF) offers modular infrastructure for all the intent layers: Origination, fulfillment, settlement, and rebalancing. It is a scalable framework laying down the foundation for further enhancements aimed at achieving more secure, cost-effective, and quicker settlement of user interactions across chains. The Open Intents Framework is a collaborative initiative involving core contributors from the Ethereum Foundation alongside Across, Arbitrum, Hyperlane, LI.FI, OpenZeppelin, Taiko, Wonderland, and numerous others – a significant advancement towards a cohesive yet distinguishable approach to interoperability.
The OIF was designed from the bottom up to be as lightweight and adaptable as feasible, in order to meet diverse demands and use cases throughout Ethereum’s ecosystem of L2s. This modularity and flexibility enables straightforward substitution of each component of the intents stack, facilitating the replacement of mechanisms that may exhibit weaker trust assumptions or security assurances. The OIF is dedicated to enhancing settlement assurances, including security, censorship resistance, and privacy.
Production-ready smart contract versions of the Open Intents Framework are currently operational accompanied by architecture diagrams and developer documentation. Through Q3 2025, contributing teams are finalizing smart contract foundations and standards, completing audits, and implementing additional validation mechanisms. In Q4 2025, the OIF will have finalized the open-source solver and crosschain validation module. Teams will gain access to the complete reference solver implementation with customizable chain subscriptions, automated rebalancing features, and modular validation that supports major crosschain verification protocols. New chains will be capable of deploying production solvers immediately upon launch, thus eliminating the customary months-long integration timelines.
Project #2: Ethereum Interoperability Layer
Key Insight: A trustless, censorship-resistant transport framework, making cross-L2 transactions resemble single-chain transactions.
The Ethereum Interoperability Layer (EIL) is designed to make Ethereum appear as a singular chain once more, without sacrificing CROPS principles (censorship-resistance, open-source, privacy, and security).
EIL is led by the Chain and Account Abstraction team, the creators of the ERC-4337 protocol. EIL is a trustless cross-L2 interoperability layer, fostering seamless multichain transactions while ensuring that users retain control, maintain privacy, and uphold Ethereum-level censorship resistance. While intents are a declarative abstraction (“I want this outcome”), the Ethereum Interoperability Layer emphasizes prescriptive execution via transactions (“here are the specific calls to execute”) without relying on intermediaries.
A public design document will be published in October, with additional details to be shared at Devconnect.
Project #3: Interop standards
Key Insight: Minimizing user and developer friction throughout the stack with unified protocols for crosschain operations.
Ultimately, a comprehensive collection of standards will bolster the growth of OIF and EIL, establishing consistent design principles from the user experience to interop backends. These standards encompass Interoperable addresses (ERC-7828 and ERC-7930), asset consolidation (ERC-7811), and multi-calls (ERC-5792) for enhanced wallet and app user experiences, in addition to neutral message-passing infrastructure, such as an intent standard (ERC-7683) and a common messaging interface (ERC-7786).
To date, ERC-7683 has undergone review and revision by a collective of contributors from Across, Uniswap, LI.FI, and OpenZeppelin. The primary modification is a redesigned higher-level interface to accommodate multiple intent origination flows, particularly for new processes like Resource Locks and direct-to-filler transfers. In line with the principles of flexibility and modularity, the revised standard will also incorporate diverse auction mechanisms (e.g., Dutch, first-come first-serve) and ensure compatibility with other open-source initiatives.
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like multi-chain entries and compatible addresses.
Stream 2: Acceleration
While Stream 1 develops essential services essential for a neutral, user-focused and secure interoperability framework, Stream 2 seeks to elevate the speed thresholds on each node and connection of the network. We emphasize four primary metrics outlined in the subsequent sections: L1 inclusion time, L1 strong confirmation time, L1 finality time, and L2 settlement time.
Project #4: Rapid L1 Confirmation Rule
Key takeaway: Achieve quick and reliable L1 confirmations within 15-30 seconds instead of the typical 13-19 minutes for complete finality.
Accelerated confirmation times are frequently mentioned as one of the most significant requirements for enhanced interoperability across the Ethereum environment. The design of Ethereum’s Proof-of-Stake system entails attesters voting on the present status of the chain every slot, with full finality lagging behind multiple slots. Nevertheless, there exists a method to obtain quicker confirmation with demonstrable safety, albeit it is not widely recognized or utilized currently.
A brief summary of the rapid confirmation rule: Employs the amassed votes of attesters to yield a reduced (but still robust) level of confirmation at a significantly earlier moment in time, while full finality is subsequently achieved (in precisely the same manner as it is presently). Under precisely defined models of an adversary, a rapid confirmation rule presents demonstrable safety and serves as an appealing option for systems that otherwise depend on full finality. We will make this rapid confirmation rule accessible by implementing it across all consensus clients and pursue integration with projects keen on reducing latency for their users.
Roberto Saltini and Mikhail Kalinin (Consensys) currently spearhead the specification of the rapid confirmation rule and its proof of correctness. The TxRx team (Consensys) is executing the rule in Teku, while Terence Tsao (Offchain Labs) has provided an initial implementation for Prysm and Harsh Pratap Singh (EPF Fellow) is developing a Lighthouse implementation. With expected further simplifications to the specifications, and a more straightforward implementation path, we aim for Q1 2026 for the deployment of the rapid confirmation rule in all consensus layer clients, and will collaborate with partner projects for integration.
Project #5: Reduced L1 Slots
Key takeaway: Conducting the research and engineering groundwork for minimizing L1 slot durations as soon as possible.
Considerable UX enhancements are achieved from shortened L1 slots, and our objective is to initially pursue 2x shorter slots, reducing from 12 seconds to 6 seconds. Halving the slot duration not only reduces time-to-L1-inclusion for L1 users but also cuts the time-to-strong-confirmation and finality time for users of these confirmation rules. This results in quicker settlements, less capital in transit, and lowered fees and latency for users of interoperability protocols, along with a greater motivation to engage in secure L1 settlements.
The initiative encompasses various workstreams: Comprehensive data analysis for network efficiency and centralization challenges (currently involving Maria Inês Silva, Sam Calder-Masson, and Toni Wahrstätter), consensus and execution layer specifications (engaging Dankrad Feist, Justin Traglia, and Milos Stankovic) and client implementations (initial efforts led by Milos Stankovic and Jihoon Song). A significant portion of this endeavor is independent from slot restructuring initiatives such as transitioning to EIP-7732, enshrined Proposer–Builder Separation.
Project #6: Condensed L2 settlement
Key Insight: Minimizing latency for asset withdrawals from rollups reduces rebalancing expenses and enhances the quality of service for intents.
Optimistic rollups complete their transactions in approximately 7 days, contingent upon a sufficiently lengthy challenge period being open for disputing the recorded state of the rollup. Shortened withdrawal durations permit swifter asset transfers from the rollup, thereby decreasing costs associated with rebalancing for solvers, i.e., reducing expenses for users of intent protocols. It serves as a crucial lever for intents to achieve higher volumes at more affordable rates. Significant advancements are already happening all thanks to the contributions of numerous individuals within L2 and ZKEVM teams. We will endeavor to aid optimistic rollups interested in employing ZK-based real-time proving, and/or transitioning to a secure 2-out-of-3 expedited settlement system.
Stream 3: Finalisation
The ultimate boundary of interoperability on Ethereum is achieved through two technological advancements: Real-time proving and rapid finality. Our goal will be to elevate research and prototype projects to expedite the timelines for both. To emphasize the indefinite nature of this stream, we label the initiatives here as “Explorations”.
Exploration #1: Interoperability snarkification
All Protocol activities must consider the advancement of SNARKs towards widespread utilization. For example, the “Scale L1” track plans initiate early efforts to progressively embed this technology into the core of the Ethereum protocol. Similarly, neglecting the snarkification of everything is not feasible today, especially regarding interoperability solutions.
With a solid intents-driven methodology for cross-chain UX, the goal is to keep pushing forward and solidifying the infrastructures of these systems, reaching the least resistance levels. Quick settlement facilitates rapid liquidity rebalancing, reducing costs for intent users. Moreover, in addition to diminishing expenses and latency, we are convinced that snarkification holds the power to reshape the landscape of asset issuance, bridge primitives, and cross-chain programmability, thereby enabling, among other outcomes, synchronous composability with L1. Leading in this evolution empowers us to direct our network toward the futures we aspire to achieve.
With certain SNARK-based variations of the expedited L2 settlement mechanism outlined in Project #6, optimistic rollups possess the ability to unlock a “fast root” which allows their state to be assumed settled. However, it is also feasible to permissionlessly acquire this fast root, and “zkSettle” against it. Specifically, this form of settlement might be introduced as a method accessible through the Open Intents Framework (Project #1), guaranteeing the most robust form of intent settlement and optimal user safeguarding.
Exploration #2: Quicker L1 finality
We suggest investigating all avenues to advance finality from the current range of 13-19 minutes down to mere seconds. To begin, shorter slots as mentioned in Project #5 will reduce the finality duration by half, bringing it to 7-10 minutes. Next, beacon chain modifications could propel it further, down to 1-2 minutes. Lastly, substituting our existing consensus protocol, Gasper, with a more streamlined and rapid protocol, will provide an additional magnitude of enhancement, aiming for a target
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finality achieved in under 10 seconds.
The EF Protocol Consensus team is engaged in various initiatives clarifying the decision-making framework for a robust, high-performance, and decentralized consensus protocol. 3-slot-finality (3SF) is a well-recognized protocol delivering strong safety with dynamic availability, a combination distinct to protocols like Ethereum’s. Investigations in newer categories of protocols such as Kudzu, Hydrangea, or Alpenglow indicate possibilities for enhancements on 3SF with reduced latency and increased throughput, yet must be tailored to Ethereum’s specific traits.
Enhancing UX has evolved into a comprehensive endeavor, with several distinct avenues addressing concerns related to interoperability, security, and privacy. With this notice, we are outlining our own interoperability initiatives and invite you to explore further information on Trillion Dollar Security and the Kohaku privacy wallet below.
Trillion Dollar Security
Led by Fredrik Svantes and Josh Stark, the Trillion Dollar Security (1TS) initiative is a comprehensive effort across the ecosystem to enhance Ethereum’s security, facilitating broader on-chain engagement. Phase 2 of 1TS addresses user experience, including improved frameworks for clear signing, key management, as well as wallet security and privacy standards.
Kohaku
Directed by Nicolas Consigny and Vitalik Buterin, the Kohaku project is developing the essential technology required to support wallets that ensure privacy throughout their entire framework. The project is a collaborative effort between the EF and various external groups. Kohaku’s primary objectives are (i) an SDK that provides strong privacy/security functionalities, and (ii) a power-user wallet that operates on top of that SDK. Initially, the project will emphasize the browser extension targeting advanced users, integrating privacy and security features. The extension is architected to safeguard privacy while minimizing trust assumptions and removing unnecessary external dependencies. The project will integrate Helios lightclient, a privacy-service abstraction, offer private addresses, and support for native private balances & private transactions.
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