Ethereum's Bold Plan Targets 'Internet of Value' by 2029

Ethereum's most ambitious roadmap in years just went public, and it envisions transforming the $200 billion blockchain into what researchers call a high-speed "internet of value" by 2029. The Ethereum Foundation's newly published Strawmap lays out a sweeping upgrade path covering near-instant transaction finality, improved throughput, native privacy features, quantum-resistant cryptography, and deeper integration between the base layer and layer 2 networks. While explicitly labeled a draft rather than a binding commitment, the document reveals where the protocol's most influential researchers believe Ethereum must head next.

What Is the Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap?

The Strawmap is a multi-year draft roadmap outlining planned Ethereum upgrades through 2029, published by the Ethereum Foundation. Dense with diagrams and references to forks, zkEVMs, and data availability sampling, the document distills into a straightforward narrative: the world's second-largest blockchain wants to become faster, more scalable, more private, and resilient enough to endure for decades.

Justin Drake, a prominent Ethereum Foundation researcher, emphasized that the Strawmap operates outside formal governance channels. "The Strawmap is largely independent from Ethereum governance... it's a tool that helps inform R&D well ahead of Ethereum governance, potentially even years ahead," Drake told reporters. Although the plan carries no binding authority, it offers the most detailed public sketch of the network's intended evolution.

At the heart of the document sit five ambitions: near-instant transaction finality, dramatically higher throughput, built-in privacy, quantum-resistant cryptography, and tighter integration between Ethereum's base layer and its layer 2 ecosystem. Each objective addresses a limitation that has drawn criticism from developers and competing blockchain projects.

The Strawmap is largely independent from Ethereum governance... it's a tool that helps inform R&D well ahead of Ethereum governance, potentially even years ahead.

— Justin Drake, Ethereum Foundation Researcher

From 16 Minutes to Seconds: The Finality Overhaul

Transaction finality on Ethereum currently takes roughly 16 minutes — the threshold at which a transaction becomes irreversible. For casual users, the delay is nearly invisible. For exchanges, cross-chain bridges, and institutional financial applications, however, that waiting period creates friction and risk.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin outlined how that timeline could collapse. "Today, finality takes 16 minutes," Buterin wrote in a public thread responding to the roadmap, adding that the objective is to "decouple slots and finality" and shift toward a system where "endgame finality time might be eg. 6-16 sec." Compressing settlement from minutes to single-digit seconds would represent a transformative improvement for on-chain finance.

Drake reinforced the urgency of this shift. "Ultimately, we're going to have finality in seconds," he told reporters, arguing that faster settlement will "help with bridging between the L2s" and meaningfully improve user experience across the entire Ethereum ecosystem.

Ultimately, we're going to have finality in seconds.

— Justin Drake, Ethereum Foundation Researcher

How Will Layer 2 Scaling Evolve Under the New Plan?

Layer 2 networks will not disappear, but their relationship with Ethereum's base layer is being fundamentally reconsidered. Earlier this month, Buterin argued that some assumptions behind the original layer 2 roadmap "no longer make sense" in their earlier form, marking a philosophical pivot for the project.

Layer 2 networks were originally incorporated into Ethereum's scaling strategy to process transactions off the main blockchain and settle them back, reducing congestion and fees. As base layer scaling has improved and certain rollups have taken longer than anticipated to decentralize, the notion that Ethereum would outsource nearly all scaling to L2s has become less definitive. Buterin proposed a more balanced future where the base layer continues strengthening while layer 2 networks shift toward specialized roles — whether for privacy, specific applications, or enhanced security models.

The Strawmap reflects this dual-track scaling philosophy. Rather than treating layer 1 as frozen infrastructure, it envisions a stronger base layer operating alongside expanded layer 2 capacity.

Privacy and Quantum Resistance Enter the Core Roadmap

Native privacy features represent a striking addition to the Ethereum roadmap. The network's complete transaction transparency has traditionally been celebrated, but that openness constrains certain use cases. The Strawmap contemplates built-in "shielded" transfers at the base layer, enabling ETH to move without exposing full transaction details. For individuals, this offers financial discretion; for businesses, it could determine whether sensitive activities migrate on-chain.

Post-quantum cryptography rounds out the long-term security picture. Any blockchain designed to secure trillions of dollars in value over decades cannot afford static security assumptions. The Ethereum Foundation recently assembled a dedicated post-quantum team, and the Strawmap reinforces its commitment to preparing defenses well before quantum threats materialize.

For developers building on Ethereum, the roadmap provides directional clarity the network has often lacked. Ethereum has faced criticism for moving slowly or delaying upgrade timelines. By publishing a multi-year sketch, researchers signal the next phase extends beyond patching limitations — it targets a comprehensive transformation.

What This Means Going Forward

Ethereum's track record includes ambitious timelines that frequently stretch beyond initial projections. Governance in a decentralized system ensures debate and revision, and the Strawmap itself acknowledges it will evolve. The document is a starting point for conversation, not a binding contract.

Nevertheless, the roadmap's scope reveals a network unwilling to cede ground to faster competitors. Drake captured the broader ambition plainly. "For me, this is ultimately about Ethereum becoming the internet of value, and ether, the asset, becoming money for the internet," he told reporters. Whether the 2029 target holds or shifts, the direction appears firmly set: Ethereum intends to compete not just as a smart-contract platform but as foundational financial infrastructure for the next generation of the internet.