Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has responded to community concerns regarding the recently introduced EIP-7702, part of the upcoming Pectra upgrade, which allows for temporary smart contract delegation by EOAs.
Addressing the concerns on Warpcast, Buterin advised users to delegate only to audited, trusted contracts, following a viral critique by an X user who raised alarm about potential security flaws.
Community Raises Alarm Over Delegation Loopholes
The discussion emerged after X user @nftchance warned that while wallets effectively block malicious domains, delegation permissions remain unchecked—leaving room for exploit vectors.
“Arbitrary delegation could result in full portfolio loss with just one signature,” the user warned.
Vitalik: Secure Usage Requires Wallet-Vetted Contracts
Buterin clarified that EIP-7702 should be used with caution. He emphasized that users should only approve contracts that have undergone review by wallet developers and the wider Ethereum community.
“Delegate exactly one well-reviewed contract to ensure the rest of the logic is handled securely,” Buterin noted.
How EIP-7702 Works: A Temporary Shift in Account Behavior
EIP-7702 enables Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) to temporarily behave as contract accounts within a single transaction. This unlocks advanced capabilities like batch transactions, gasless execution, and custom user logic—without permanent structural changes.
Following execution, the EOA returns to its original form.
Security Risk: Hidden Logic Could Trigger Exploits
While the upgrade introduces more power to EOAs, security experts caution that malicious contracts could mask exploitative behavior in specific edge cases—causing users to unknowingly hand over control through delegation.
Pectra Mainnet Release Moved to April 21
The Ethereum Pectra upgrade, which includes EIP-7702, was previously set for May 7 but is now expected to launch on April 21, based on discussions from the latest Execution Layer Core Devs call.
EIP-7702 was co-developed by Vitalik Buterin, Ansgar Dietrich, Matt Garnett, and Sam Wilson, as part of Ethereum’s roadmap toward enhanced account abstraction and transaction control.
Vitalik Buterin Responds to Criticism of Ethereum’s New EIP-7702 Feature
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has weighed in on rising concerns over EIP-7702, part of the upcoming Pectra upgrade, following criticism from members of the Ethereum community about the potential for security breaches.
In a post on Warpcast, Buterin addressed the criticism circulating on X, where a user flagged the risks of delegating control to smart contracts that may later be exploited.
Community Calls Out Delegation Risks and Wallet Gaps
The concern, originally raised by @nftchance, highlighted that while wallets block suspicious sites, they might still approve dangerous contract delegations. The critique warned that such behavior could lead to the complete draining of user portfolios.
“They’re allowing arbitrary delegation that could drain a wallet in one click,” the post claimed.
Buterin Recommends Contract Delegation Only After Audit
Buterin responded with a security-first recommendation: users should only delegate to one audited contract trusted by wallet developers and the Ethereum ecosystem.
“You should delegate to exactly one contract that’s been well reviewed,” Buterin emphasized.
EIP-7702 Introduces Temporary Smart Contract Behavior for EOAs
EIP-7702 allows Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) to temporarily adopt smart contract functionality during a single transaction. This enables more advanced actions—like gas sponsorships, batched calls, and custom logic execution—without permanently converting to contract accounts.
After completion, the account reverts to its original state, allowing greater flexibility without losing EOA simplicity.
Security Concerns Remain Despite Technical Innovations
Despite the new flexibility, critics warn that malicious actors could disguise attack vectors in delegated contracts, activating them only under certain conditions.
These “trapdoor contracts” pose risks if users aren’t cautious about whom they’re delegating control to—especially when delegation happens without clear visibility.
Pectra Upgrade Will Launch on April 21
Initially planned for May 7, Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade is now expected to launch on April 21, according to the latest developer meeting.
EIP-7702 is just one of several changes coming with Pectra, a package designed to boost Ethereum’s scalability and improve synergy with Layer 2 rollups.
The proposal was co-authored by Vitalik Buterin, Ansgar Dietrich, Matt Garnett, and Sam Wilson.
