Blob Space (EIP-4844)
Dedicated low-cost data storage Ethereum added for rollups, sharply cutting Layer 2 fees.
Blob space refers to the data storage introduced by Ethereum’s EIP-4844 (“proto-danksharding”) upgrade in 2024: large “blobs” of data that rollups attach to blocks specifically for their data availability needs. Crucially, blobs are temporary (deleted after ~18 days) and priced separately, making them far cheaper than permanent calldata.
The impact was immediate and large — Layer 2 transaction fees dropped dramatically, in many cases to fractions of a cent, because rollups no longer competed for expensive permanent block space. Blob space is a milestone in Ethereum’s modular roadmap toward full “danksharding,” and a concrete example of how base-layer upgrades cascade into cheaper, more usable applications for end users.