Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has emphasized the need to increase the number of “blobs” introduced during the recent Dencun upgrade to enhance network scalability and Layer 2 protocol capacity, according to PANews. During a follow-up discussion after the latest developer conference call, Buterin highlighted that blob space usage is approaching 75%, making it imperative to expand capacity through the proposed EIP-7623. He warned, “I believe the entire ecosystem is ignoring the fact that it is alarmingly close to the limit.”

Blobs, introduced via EIP-4844 (commonly referred to as proto-danksharding), serve as dedicated data storage areas designed to improve Ethereum’s scalability. Currently, Ethereum blocks can accommodate up to three blobs, with a maximum limit of six. Buterin is advocating for an increase to four blobs per block, with an upper limit of eight, which would allow for greater data storage within each block. This enhancement is seen as vital for enabling Layer 2 networks to efficiently publish data on the Ethereum blockchain.

The EIP-7623 proposal aims to adjust the calldata costs for Ethereum transactions that primarily serve data availability (DA) purposes, which could effectively reduce the maximum block size from 2.7MB to around 1MB. This change would create room for potentially increasing either the block gas limit or the number of blobs. Buterin expressed concern that some Layer 2 protocols are hesitant to utilize blobs due to fears of market congestion, stating, “We cannot let the momentum for more Layer 2 protocols to use blobs diminish.” He underscored the importance of maintaining decentralization within these networks, reiterating his commitment to endorsing scaling solutions that are in their “first stage” of decentralization.

In related discussions, the latest Ethereum ACDE meeting explored the potential inclusion of multiple EIPs addressing the Ethereum blob fee market in the upcoming Pectra release.