EF: In 2026, the focus shifts from speed to security, establishing strict 128-bit encryption standards

On December 21, the Ethereum Foundation announced that in 2026, the focus will shift from speed to security, with the implementation of strict 128-bit encryption standards. The foundation stated that over the past year, zkEVM has made significant progress in performance, but some solutions rely on unverified mathematical assumptions, which theoretically pose a risk of on-chain state forgery. Therefore, the next phase’s priority is to strengthen formal verification, attack resistance, and fundamental cryptographic security. The foundation will provide security review and assessment tools, requiring zkEVM to achieve a minimum of 128-bit security strength by 2026, meeting the current mainstream cryptographic recognition level. The new standards may slow down the progress of some scaling projects, but the foundation emphasizes that, in the long run, attack resistance and trustworthiness are crucial prerequisites for attracting institutions and high-value applications, focusing on security first and then improving performance.