The Ethereum Foundation has published a new technical roadmap aimed at increasing network speed, expanding scalability, and strengthening privacy infrastructure. The document, titled “Strawmap,” outlines a long-term vision for protocol upgrades planned through 2029. Shared by Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, Strawmap serves as a coordination framework for developers, researchers, and governance participants. While it is not an official or finalized roadmap, it is considered a comprehensive reference that signals Ethereum’s technical direction in the coming years.
Faster and More Scalable L1 Target
Within the Strawmap roadmap, plans to significantly improve transaction speed at Ethereum’s base layer (L1) stand out. The goal is to achieve transactions that finalize within seconds, delivering a much faster and more efficient user experience. By enhancing network performance, both individual users and institutional participants are expected to execute transactions with lower latency on Ethereum. Additionally, through the integration of zkEVM technology, Ethereum aims to realize a “Gigagas L1” vision, targeting approximately 10,000 transactions per second (TPS). This move is expected to substantially strengthen Ethereum’s competitiveness, particularly in DeFi, stablecoin payments, and institutional finance applications.
Layer 2 ambitions also represent a major pillar of the Strawmap. Under the “Teragas L2” approach, advanced technologies such as data availability sampling are planned to enable long-term scaling toward 10 million TPS. This vision aims to equip Ethereum with the capacity to support global-scale financial applications, gaming ecosystems, and Web3-based services. As Layer 2 solutions continue to mature, the transaction burden on the main network is expected to decrease, leading to lower fees and greater overall efficiency.
Security and Privacy Prioritized
Security and privacy rank among the roadmap’s top priorities. The Ethereum Foundation plans to integrate hash-based and post-quantum cryptography solutions to safeguard the network against future quantum computing threats. In addition, native privacy features at the base layer are part of the long-term plan, including the possibility of confidential ETH transfers. This development could significantly enhance user privacy while expanding Ethereum’s appeal to both institutional and individual users.
Seven Major Upgrades by 2029
The Strawmap anticipates approximately seven major network upgrades (hard forks) by 2029. Each upgrade is expected to bring improvements across performance, security, and scalability at different layers of the network. The tentative update schedule suggests major upgrades roughly every six months, aiming to make Ethereum’s technical progress more predictable and gradual.
The document was first introduced in January 2026 during an Ethereum Foundation workshop as a discussion starter. Officials emphasize that Strawmap is not a guaranteed timeline or binding roadmap. Rather, it functions as a strategic framework designed to improve coordination among developers, researchers, and governance participants while clarifying long-term technical objectives. This approach seeks to foster greater alignment across teams within the Ethereum ecosystem.
Evaluation
The Strawmap roadmap indicates that Ethereum is preparing for significant transformation in speed, scalability, security, and privacy over the coming years. Notably, the ambitious 10 million TPS target, post-quantum security measures, and native privacy plans are designed to enhance Ethereum’s long-term competitive position. While not an official roadmap, Strawmap serves as a crucial reference point that clearly outlines Ethereum’s technical direction and strategic priorities moving forward.
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