Ethereum Foundation Abandons Poseidon Hash for SHA and BLAKE

The Ethereum Foundation is transitioning from the Poseidon hash function to SHA and BLAKE to enhance resistance against future quantum computers. This decision, announced by researcher Justin Drake on August 13, concludes an eight-year research effort. Since 2018, the foundation has funded 'SNARK-friendly hashes,' with Poseidon becoming the leading option since its introduction in 2019. However, Drake noted that recent advancements in SNARK designs have shown that traditional hash functions can now perform comparably to Poseidon in SNARK applications. He emphasized that the focus should be on hash-friendly SNARKs rather than specialized hashes. The new approach utilizes proof systems based on binary fields, allowing efficient operations with traditional hashes. Drake highlighted the Binius research from 2023, which improved the efficiency of standard hashes, and indicated that these designs can achieve around 1 million hash calls per second on a laptop. He argued that using plain hashes provides a reliable foundation for Ethereum's security over the long term. The shift also accelerates deployment timelines, with a production-grade leanVM expected by 2027 and further developments planned for 2028. This change does not render Poseidon obsolete nor require existing projects to migrate, but it represents a significant evolution in Ethereum's Layer 1 design.

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