Executive Summary

Optimum, a blockchain technology company, has introduced mumP2P, a new propagation layer for Ethereum that significantly improves block propagation speed. Tests conducted by Everstake on the Hoodi testnet revealed a 5-6x speedup compared to the standard Gossipsub relay. This innovation is expected to significantly boost validator rewards by reducing missed blocks and is a foundational step towards enabling Ethereum's future roadmap goal of 6-second block slots, ultimately enhancing the network's overall efficiency and user experience.

The Event in Detail

The mumP2P system, powered by Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC) developed by MIT Professor Muriel Médard, is designed to optimize the transmission of block data across the Ethereum network. Early tests by validator service provider Everstake on the Hoodi testnet recorded an average block propagation time of approximately 150 milliseconds, representing a 5-6x improvement over the current Gossipsub protocol.

Bohdan 'Bo' Opryshko, COO of Everstake, highlighted the practical benefits for large validator sets, stating that faster data transfer mitigates the risk of missed blocks, leading to higher rewards for both users and validators. Unlike traditional peer-to-peer relays that resend identical data, mumP2P employs coded packets—mathematical equations that are almost always unique—to ensure more efficient data transmission with reduced duplication. Muriel Médard, Optimum co-founder, noted that Gossipsub is "very, very bandwidth hungry, and it really slows down under stress," issues that mumP2P aims to resolve. Everstake has reported no significant overhead costs associated with running mumP2P compared to existing setups.

Market Implications

The accelerated block propagation provided by mumP2P carries significant market implications for the Ethereum ecosystem. For validators, the reduced incidence of missed blocks directly translates to increased staking yields, making staking more attractive and potentially drawing additional capital into the network. This improvement directly addresses a core economic aspect of Ethereum's Proof-of-Stake consensus mechanism.

Longer-term, this technological advancement is a crucial enabler for Ethereum's strategic goal of implementing 6-second block slots. Such a reduction in slot time would drastically improve transaction finality and overall network throughput. This enhanced capacity could lead to reduced transaction fees (gas costs) for end-users and provide a more robust and responsive platform for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) protocols and decentralized applications (DApps), solidifying Ethereum's competitive position in the smart contract platform landscape.

Expert Commentary

Bohdan 'Bo' Opryshko of Everstake underscored the economic impact, explaining that even small gains, such as a 1 basis point increase in yield, can accumulate into substantial nominal sums for large amounts of staked ETH. He also suggested that the competitive nature of validator operations means that once one client team demonstrates the effectiveness of mumP2P, others will likely adopt it to maintain their competitive edge.

Muriel Médard, co-founder of Optimum and the inventor of RLNC, articulated the technical advantages of mumP2P. She characterized Gossipsub as struggling under network stress, akin to traffic congestion, while mumP2P's coded propagation maintains low delays regardless of load. Médard highlighted that mumP2P serves as a drop-in, API-compatible replacement for Gossipsub, aiming to address propagation bottlenecks that currently limit Ethereum's scalability.

Broader Context

mumP2P's rollout, with Everstake anticipating mainnet implementation within three months, represents a tangible step in Ethereum's ongoing evolution towards greater scalability and efficiency. While current libp2p implementations, which underpin Ethereum's networking layer, have faced challenges regarding engineering practices and maintenance, mumP2P offers a path forward by providing a more resilient and efficient block propagation method. This development aligns with the broader industry trend of optimizing core blockchain infrastructure to support increasing demand for decentralized applications and services. The ability to shrink slot times without compromising Ethereum's fork choice rules is a critical architectural gain, reinforcing the network's foundation for future innovation.