By George Ward
In a recent blog post, Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of Ethereum, acknowledged the network’s progress since its inception. However, he noted that there is still more work to be done. He also recounted his personal experiences using ETH for payments.
Buterin Faces Issues When Using ETH For Payment
Buterin mentioned an incident in 2021 in Argentina when he tried to purchase tea with ETH at a coffee shop. He recounted that the initial transaction was declined for falling below the exchange limits.
Although the second transaction was successful, he had to pay three times the beverage’s actual price. Then, the mathematician attempted to make the transaction again in 2022.
However, it was unsuccessful once more due to gas limits that were too low. In addition, the second transaction failed due to a UI malfunction in his phone wallet.
According to Buterin, the key takeaway from his experiences was that “simple and robust” user interfaces are preferable to “fancy” ones. Also, he noted that most users are unfamiliar with gas limits, underscoring the need for improved defaults.
Furthermore, the crypto enthusiast highlighted confirmation times and delays in acknowledging transactions as other severe challenges regarding using ETH for payment settlements.
According to him, these issues create temporary uncertainty for both parties involved, which is particularly problematic for micropayments. Meanwhile, Buterin pointed out that the EIP-1559 upgrade and the September 15th Merge have mitigated the issue.
Nonetheless, issues persist when the network experiences high activity levels, as wallet user interfaces (UIs) struggle to display transaction information effectively.
Buterin Highlights Areas That Need Fixing
According to Buterin, the key takeaway is that the user experience (UX) related to transaction inclusion requires enhancements. He opined that simple remedies are available that could solve the issue.
Buterin further suggested that wallet developers should begin to emphasize privacy considerations more. In addition, he asserted that the network is yet to solve the issue of high transaction fees resulting from scaling difficulties.
As a result, Ethereum users frequently turn to centralized alternatives like crypto exchanges. Notably, Buterin acknowledged that there had been notable advancements in user experience over the years, particularly following recent upgrades like the Merge.
Previously, it took several minutes for an average transaction to enter the blockchain. Whereas it now only takes seconds. This has significantly improved users’ experience on the Ethereum network.