The post Ethereum dev proposes ‘Secret Santa’ protocol to drive privacy – Details! appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Privacy became the hottest topic in 2025 and the most profitable narrative across the crypto markets. As Christmas approaches, the frenzy remains. That’s why an Ethereum developer has announced a ‘Secret Santa’ privacy-focused protocol for anonymous gifting.  Source: ETH Research   This is not Ethereum’s first stab at privacy though. In fact, back in September, the Ethereum Foundation unveiled an ambitious privacy roadmap. It covers all levels of the chain, from user-facing wallets to private payments and transactions for retail and institutional use cases.  Already, private wallet features are being rolled out thanks to the Kohaku framework. What’s next for Ethereum in 2026? That being said, the Ethereum ecosystem’s mid-term goals overlap between privacy, scaling, and AI.  Interestingly, recent scaling efforts, such as Pectra and Fusaka, are enhancing throughput and reducing the overall cost of transactions to rival other competent chains, like Solana.  In fact, the cost factor has dropped significantly that the Ethereum mainnet Layer 1 (L1) is now rivalling its Layer 2s (L2s). In a recent post, Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum, stated that users can now build directly on the L1 at current low rates.  Source: X Ethereum L1 vs. L2 debate However, Buterin’s statement drew some criticism. One of the critics, Blockworks analyst Dan Smith, quipped,  “I don’t think it’s that straightforward because the largest consumers of blobspace are general-purpose L2s – direct competitors of L1 execution.” Smith drew parallels between carpenters (L2) and lumber yards (L1), stating that they don’t sell competing end products.  However, other analysts countered that both mainnet L1 and L2s can still compete for the same builders. Supporters of Buterin’s L1 push, like Hasu, poked holes into Smith’s argument and added,  “Apple sells phones via own stores + direct distribution, but also on Amazon.” And, the fight for users between the…

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Filed under: News - @ December 3, 2025 9:23 am