The "Rocket Launch" - Observers on Ethereum's Post-Merger Future

With the Ethereum merger just hours away, Cointelegraph spoke to industry experts about the transition to proof-of-stake today and what to look for.

The Ethereum merger is expected to take place on September 15 around 6:00 UTC, with the transition focused on energy efficiency expected to have a major impact on crypto investment and adoption, experts say.

Speaking to Cointelegraph ahead of the merger, StarkWare Chairman and Co-Founder Eli Ben-Sasson noted that the Ethereum merger will be the “first step in a process that will lead to hugely widespread adoption. from Ethereum:"

"The immediate significance of the merger is the dramatic effect on energy consumption."

The merger is expected to see Ethereum's energy reduced by 99.95% compared to its current Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus mechanism, which requires the use of large amounts of energy in a competition to solve arbitrary mathematical puzzles.

"I see fusion as the development of the first solar fields," Ben-Sasson added.

"We saw that we could reduce the environmental impact of electricity generation. We didn't say 'problem solved', but rather that if we generate electricity with less pollution, it is time to redouble our efforts to use energy more sparingly."

Nice to never hear about "ommer blocks" again.

(okay, I know "ommer" was meant to replace "uncle" in a gender-neutral way, but hey, that *sounds* like an insult to people who meditate)

Oh, and save electricity. That's cool too.

Ben-Sasson believes the end result is when the general population uses blockchain-based apps in many areas of life, "and as naturally as people use smartphone apps today".

Crypto exchange Coinjar CEO Asher Tan says the merger is set to change the narrative around crypto more broadly, pointing out that it's incredibly rare...