Offchain Labs has openly disagreed with Vitalik Buterin's proposal to adopt the RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA) for Ethereum's execution layer. In a recent technical post, four researchers from Offchain Labs argue that WebAssembly (WASM) is a far better option for Ethereum's Layer 1 smart contracts. They point out that while RISC-V is effective for generating zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs, it doesn't necessarily fit the needs for delivering and storing smart contracts. This critique comes after Buterin suggested that switching to RISC-V could significantly reduce on-chain ZK proving costs. The researchers emphasize the need to differentiate between a "delivery ISA," which handles the upload of contracts to the blockchain, and a "proving ISA" for ZK virtual machines. They believe these two functions should not be tied to the same ISA. Offchain Labs is already working on a prototype that demonstrates this concept, using WASM for contract delivery while still employing RISC-V for ZK proofs. This approach allows them to prove real-world blocks effectively, showcasing how the two systems can work together. WASM's structured design is highlighted as a major advantage. It allows for easier code modifications without disrupting existing contracts and runs efficiently on standard hardware. In contrast, most Ethereum nodes would struggle with RISC-V since it would require emulation. WASM also enhances security through its validation capabilities and has a robust tooling ecosystem that has proven effective across many execution environments. The researchers propose that WASM could act as a universal protocol for smart contracts, bridging various programming languages and execution backends.