Ethereum price path to $10,000 now hinges on seven upgrades and a fragile ecosystem vote

Ethereum’s latest long-term planning document has given investors a new way to assess whether the digital asset can eventually reach $10,000 by the end of this decade. The newly published “Strawmap,” introduced by Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, reads less like a conventional roadmap than a preemptive response plan. It sketches a path for Ethereum base-layer upgrades through the end of the decade, with seven forks by 2029 and five broad targets, including a faster Layer 1, much higher throughput, post-quantum security, privacy at the base layer, and a scaling architecture that keeps Layer 1 and Layer 2 moving together. In essence, Ethereum is trying to reduce long-term failure risk while improving the chain’s economic usefulness. Related Reading Is your Ethereum at risk? Vitalik Buterin admits his biggest design mistake since 2017 Ethereum co-founder abandons old Ethereum vision as hidden censorship risks threaten to trap everyday user funds. Jan 27, 2026 · Liam 'Akiba' Wright From roadmap to response plan Drake described Strawmap as a “strawman roadmap,” which is a useful phrase because it lowers the claim while raising the stakes. According to him, it is not meant to be the final doctrine for a decentralized ecosystem without a single decision-maker. Instead, it is meant to serve as a coordination tool, a map that helps researchers, developers, and governance participants see how the biggest protocol changes relate to one another across several years. Ethereum Strawmap Roadmap (