Ethereum has made incredible strides in scalability, jumping from 15 transactions per second to thousands, with fees dropping dramatically. However, its success has led to an unintended problem: fragmentation. With over 50 Layer-2 (L2) solutions, users are now stuck navigating complex networks, switching chains, and bridging assets just to complete simple transactions. While speeds are faster and costs are lower, the overall experience has suffered.

This fragmentation isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s an existential challenge. Liquidity is trapped in separate silos, increasing inefficiencies and costs. DeFi protocols struggle to maintain deep liquidity across multiple chains, while developers face hurdles in supporting multiple L2s and integrating cross-chain infrastructure.

A new Ethereum standard, ERC-7683, co-developed by Risk Labs and Uniswap Labs, could change this. ERC-7683 allows users to express complex cross-chain transactions as a single request, executed seamlessly by a shared network of relayers. This means that instead of manually bridging assets or switching networks, users can complete actions in one step.

ERC-7683 is already being used in production, with Across processing over $18 billion in cross-chain transactions. Supported by over 50 protocols, including Arbitrum, Base, and Optimism, it simplifies Ethereum’s ecosystem, making it feel like a single chain rather than a maze of isolated networks.

Looking ahead to 2025, Ethereum could become truly unified. Users would see all their assets in one view, interact with any application on any L2, and never have to think about bridging. Developers could build once and reach all users seamlessly, while liquidity flows freely across the ecosystem.

By adopting ERC-7683, Ethereum can overcome fragmentation and unlock its full potential. Major players have already rallied behind this standard, signaling a shift toward a more accessible, seamless Ethereum. The time to act is now.