Ethereum explores migration to Poseidon hash function. Vitalik Buterin has called on experimenters to join the Poseidon cryptographic analysis program as Ethereum explores the implicit switch to the Poseidon hash function to enhance its zk- evidence capabilities.
In his recent post on X, Vitalik Buterin, aco-founder of Ethereum Ethereum
Ethereum, has encouraged experimenters to join the Poseidon cryptographic analysis program. Vitalik is considering switching to the Poseidon hash function to ameliorate how it works with zk- provers( tools for vindicating deals intimately). To help make this decision, Ethereum wants further information about Poseidon’s security, and they’ve extended the deadline to apply for the backing program to March 15.
largely encourage experimenters to share in the Poseidon cryptanalysis program.
We're seriously considering migrating Ethereum to the Poseidon hash to optimize zk- prover benevolence, so having further information about its security parcels is extremely high value. https// t.co/ AhbV8abD4z
vitalik.eth(@VitalikButerin) February 26, 2025
In Nov. 2022, a offer called Ethereum enhancement Offer( EIP) 5988 was introduced, suggesting adding a precompiled contract to the Ethereum Virtual Machine to apply the Poseidon hash function, aiming to enhance interoperability between the EVM and zero- knowledge rollups.
Since the offer’s preface, it seems there has n’t been any sanctioned perpetration or major update to EIP 5988, but it looks like Ethereum is still seriously considering enforcing Poseidon.
The Poseidon hash function, introduced in 2019, is fairly new compared to well- established hash functions like SHA- 256 and Keccak, which have been around for decades and have experienced expansive testing. still, SHA- 256 or Keccakt are n’t specifically designed for zero- knowledge attestations. In discrepancy, Poseidon has specifically been designed for use in zero- knowledge attestations. Although it has n’t been as considerably tested as SHA- 256 and Keccak, Poseidon is formerly in use in product within subcaste- 2 systems on the Ethereum network and other blockchain systems.
Ethereum’s disquisition of the Poseidon hash function is just a small part of its broader sweats to enhance the network’s performance. Most specially, the long- awaited Pectra upgrade will officially launch on April 8, aiming to enhance Ethereum’s scalability, ameliorate account abstraction, boost subcaste- 2 effectiveness, and increase validator prices. This upgrade follows the recent Dencun hard chopstick which rolled out in March 2024, significantly slashing sale freights for subcaste- 2 networks.