TLDR Tech / Crypto
Ethereum's Fourth Protocol Layer: Memory
A proposed architectural framework reframes Ethereum as a four-layer protocol, adding a Memory Layer to the established Consensus, Execution, and Data layers, where the Memory Layer governs transaction sequencing, mempool formation, forced inclusion mechanisms, and account abstraction. The analysis attributes MEV extraction and censorship vulnerabilities to neglect of this layer, as rollup sequencers operate outside L1 accountability and give builders unilateral control over ordering and inclusion decisions. Proposed remedies include virtual sharded mempools, FOCIL (fork-choice enforced inclusion lists), based sequencing, encrypted mempools, and frame-transaction-based account abstraction to homogenize sequencer behavior across L1 and rollups. The target state is a unified sequencer abstraction that enforces censorship resistance and eliminates MEV while maintaining synchronous composability across execution shards.
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