Following the completion of Ethereum’s transition to proof-of-stake (PoS), Eli Ben-Sasson, co-founder of Starkware, shared his thoughts on the execution and future potential of the network. In an interview with Cointelegraph’s Gareth Jenkinson at the Token2049 event, Ben-Sasson discussed the impact of the transition on layer-2 projects like Starkware, as well as adoption and interest in layer-2 products and the state of the crypto market.
Reflecting on the execution of the Ethereum Merge, Ben-Sasson expressed satisfaction with how smoothly the transition occurred, stating that everything went according to plan. He also emphasized the environmental benefits of the new Ethereum network, highlighting its reduced carbon footprint and potential for future improvements.
According to Ben-Sasson, the Merge enhances Ethereum’s capabilities as a settlement layer and creates a more favorable environment for layer-2 solutions. This development is particularly significant for Starkware’s products, as it enables them to offer scalability, computation compression, and other enhancements provided by their technology.
Ben-Sasson also discussed the adoption and interest in Starkware solutions, noting that many successful projects in the layer-1 Ethereum space, such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain gaming, and decentralized finance (DeFi), have also embraced their offerings. He expressed optimism for the future, stating that:
In light of the current state of the crypto and blockchain industry, Ben-Sasson rejected the notion of a crypto winter, instead describing it as a season of growth and progress. He expressed his team’s optimism and likened it to the transition from spring to a warm summer.