The latest chapter for Ethereum & highlights from Devcon SEA

The recent Devcon SEA, held in Bangkok in November 2024, marked a major milestone in Ethereum’s evolution. Compared to Devcon VI in 2022 (Bogotá), where the focus was on the Merge and early Layer-2 (L2) development, Devcon SEA showcased Ethereum’s maturity: L1 and L2 infrastructure is robust, user experience is improving, and second-generation cryptographic primitives are enabling new applications. Attendance doubled to 12,500, with participants from 135 countries, reflecting Ethereum’s global reach and the diversity of its community.

Key ideas

Scaling and Real-World Impact: Ethereum’s L2 ecosystem has expanded, with over $16.6 billion in total value locked by late 2023. Innovations like proto-danksharding and EIP-4844 have lowered fees and improved scalability. The focus has shifted from foundational issues to real-world applications - DeFi, stablecoins, gaming, digital identity, and prediction markets are maturing on Ethereum.
Community and Values: Devcon SEA emphasized a return to Ethereum’s cypherpunk roots - privacy, decentralization, and credible neutrality - alongside a renewed commitment to credible neutrality and open access. The event featured programming on privacy, account abstraction, and new cryptographic tools, as well as philosophical discussions about Ethereum’s future. The community’s diversity was celebrated through 17 Community Hubs and numerous talks on interdisciplinary and global topics.