Share this article
Vitalik Releases Partial Proof-of-Concept for Ethereum 'Sharding' Tech
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin posted the proof-of-concept for adding sharding to ethereum's current mainnet.
By Nikhilesh De
Updated Sep 13, 2021, 7:53 a.m. Published May 1, 2018, 6:00 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin said yesterday that ethereum's in-house scaling solution, sharding, is moving closer to completion.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
"sharding is coming," Buterin shared a new code repository that documents a partial proof-of-concept for what is called the "fork choice rule," the code for how ethereum shards interact with the main blockchain.
As detailed by CoinDesk, the sharding approach aims to split ethereum into several concurrent networks, allowing the network as a whole to scale more efficiently. This would help ease the congestion the network faces, thereby increasing transaction speeds and lowering costs.
The tweet was accompanied by an image of a simulation of 12 shards in action.
Speaking on Reddit, Buterin said that a sharded ethereum will likely contain around 100 shards, each with as much capacity, "and likely more," the developer wrote, than the main ethereum blockchain.
Buterin also noted that the new sharding code will be fused with ethereum once its upcoming switch to proof-of-stake, Casper, is in its final stage.
The news comes at a time when the platform is faced with increasing pressure to scale to keep up with increasing demand. Speaking at Deconomy conference in Seoul, South Korea last month, Buterin said that ethereum applications are "screwed" by current scaling challenges.
Buterin continued to tweet several further documents, including an early stage sharding specification, that forms an early picture of the new protocol.
The developer wrote:
"I would not say the spec is finalized at this point, though the 'bag of ideas' is IMO pretty well-established."
Glass image via Shutterstock
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Here’s why bitcoin’s is failing its role as a 'safe haven' versus gold
Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash.
What to know:
- During recent geopolitical tensions, Bitcoin lost 6.6% of its value, while gold rose 8.6%, demonstrating bitcoin's vulnerability in times of market stress.
- Bitcoin behaves more like an "ATM" during uncertain times, with investors quickly selling it to raise cash, contrary to its reputation as a stable digital asset.
- Gold remains the preferred hedge for short-term risks, while bitcoin is better suited for long-term monetary and geopolitical uncertainties that unfold over years.
Top Stories
