Vitalik Buterin Pushes For ERC-3770 & ERC-7683 Adoption, Highlights Polymarket UI Flaws

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has recently sparked a significant discussion in the crypto community about blockchain interoperability and user experience. Using the social media platform X, Buterin highlighted the urgent need for streamlined cross-chain transactions and better user interfaces in decentralized applications.

To illustrate his point, Buterin demonstrated the current interface for depositing to Polymarket, comparing it to what he believes should be the ideal interface. This comparison served to underscore the existing shortcomings in user experience within the blockchain ecosystem.

Buterin’s comments have reignited the conversation about blockchain usability and its potential for mainstream adoption. By advocating for the adoption of specific Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), particularly ERC-3770 and ERC-7683, Buterin aims to address these issues and push the industry towards more user-friendly solutions.

Proposed Solutions and Their Potential Impact

Buterin pinpointed two primary challenges facing users in the current blockchain landscape: the difficulty in making payments to someone on a different Layer 2 (L2) network, and the complexity of using decentralized applications (dApps) on one network with coins held on another. He contends that these are primarily user experience problems rather than advanced technical issues. To tackle these challenges, Buterin proposes three solutions:

1. Widespread adoption of ERC-3770, which would incorporate chain information into the address, creating a comprehensive “how to pay me” identifier.
2. Implementation of a cross-L2 exchange protocol like ERC-7683, enabling programmatic cross-chain sending without concerns about intermediary trust or API connections.
3. Improved wallet integration to simplify cross-L2 transactions, making them as straightforward as regular sends.

Buterin also addressed the technical aspects of these challenges. He noted, “The main challenge with the 32-byte thing is contract level (lots of contracts use mod 2**160 to handle addresses). ERC-3770 is UI level. I view the two as orthogonal to each other.” This clarification highlights the distinction between contract-level issues and user interface improvements, emphasizing that ERC-3770 focuses on enhancing the user experience rather than altering underlying contract mechanisms.

Buterin emphasizes that while solving technical issues can enhance efficiency, significant improvements in user experience can be achieved without relying on synchronicity. He suggests that these changes could lead to “multiple orders of magnitude of untapped benefits” in the blockchain ecosystem.

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Buterin’s Stance on Privacy and Recent EU Developments

In addition to his focus on user experience, Buterin has also commented on recent developments in digital privacy. He praised the rejection of the EU’s “Chat Control 2.0” proposal, which aimed to scan private messages on encrypted platforms for potential child abuse material. While celebrating this as a win for privacy, Buterin warned that it may mark the beginning of a more challenging era for privacy preservation.

The proposal would have used AI to scan communications on apps like WhatsApp and Signal, a move strongly opposed by privacy advocates who argued it would compromise user privacy and encryption integrity. Despite this victory, Buterin suggests similar privacy-threatening legislation may continue to emerge.

This development highlights the ongoing tensions between government security efforts and digital privacy rights. It also occurs alongside broader discussions on cryptocurrency regulations in the EU, underscoring the complex interplay between technological advancement, privacy concerns, and regulatory frameworks in the rapidly evolving blockchain and cryptocurrency landscape.

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