Ethereum Foundation mandates 128-bit zkEVM security standard by 2026
The Ethereum Foundation announced a strategic shift prioritizing security over raw speed for zkEVM development. It will require zkEVM implementations to meet a minimum 128-bit cryptographic strength by 2026 and emphasize formal verification, advanced security audits, attack-resilience and risk management. The Foundation warned that some high-performance zkEVM schemes depend on mathematical assumptions that lack full formal verification and could theoretically allow on-chain state forgery. To address this, it will offer security review and assessment tools and make security criteria central to institutional adoption. The move may slow certain aggressive scaling optimizations in the short term but aims to strengthen long-term resilience and institutional trust — factors likely to attract higher-value applications and capital. Keywords: Ethereum Foundation, zkEVM, 128-bit, formal verification, cryptographic security.
Neutral
Short-term market reaction is likely neutral to mildly negative for ETH price because the policy may slow some high-throughput scaling roadmaps and delay performance-driven upgrades that traders might have expected to boost adoption. However, mandating a 128-bit minimum and prioritizing formal verification reduces systemic risk and increases institutional confidence over the medium to long term. That improved security posture can encourage larger, more risk-averse capital inflows and enterprise use — a bullish structural factor for ETH fundamentals. Traders may therefore see short-term uncertainty or consolidation around news cycles, followed by greater institutional interest over time. Overall, immediate price impact should be limited; fundamental benefits accrue later.