Ethereum researcher Justin Drake argues that a 51% attack on Bitcoin would be significantly cheaper than on Ethereum, estimating the cost for Bitcoin at around $10 billion. Drake, instrumental in Ethereum's transition to proof-of-stake (PoS), believes that controlling Ethereum's network would require over half of its total staked Ether, making it much more expensive to initiate such an attack, potentially exceeding $44.8 billion. This cost consideration is compounded by Ethereum's market dynamics, where the required Ether for an attack could drive prices higher. Drake emphasizes that Ethereum's security extends beyond cryptographic measures, involving social and economic coordination, which could lead to effective mitigation against an attack. Other experts highlight that Bitcoin’s proof-of-work system entails high computational and energy costs that deter sustained attacks, while Ethereum’s PoS features provide additional economic and governance incentives against centralization risk. Overall, the likelihood and practicality of a 51% attack differ markedly between the two networks.

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