The highly anticipated Glamsterdam network upgrade on the Hoodi testnet, which was previously slated for deployment on October 26, 2026, has been officially postponed. Core developers made the decision to delay the rollout to allow for a more thorough investigation into how EIP-8037 interacts with existing smart contracts on the Ethereum mainnet. At present, a new activation date and epoch have not been established, leaving developers and node operators waiting for further guidance from the core development team.
This sudden scheduling change supersedes all previous activation timelines, instructions, and configurations outlined in the original Hoodi testnet announcement. The postponement effectively resets the path forward for the testnet, removing the previously established parameters that would have marked a significant milestone in network development.
What Has Changed?
The decision to hit the pause button on the Hoodi testnet upgrade was reached during All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) meeting #248. During the session, developers weighed the technical implications of moving forward without fully understanding the long-term ramifications of EIP-8037 integration. By delaying the upgrade, the engineering community aims to mitigate unforeseen risks and safeguard the stability of the broader ecosystem before pushing major changes live.
With this postponement, several planned components of the network transition have been stripped from the immediate roadmap. Most notably, the delay removes the scheduled Amsterdam execution layer activation and the Gloas consensus layer activation. In addition, the adjustment scraps the proposed gas-limit schedule that was designed to elevate Hoodi’s gas limit to 200 million at the exact same epoch.
Despite these changes, network architects emphasize that the update is purely a configuration rollback for a future upgrade rather than a structural rewrite of blockchain history. The chain itself remains entirely intact, and the historical ledger is unaffected. However, the October 26 activation target is officially canceled, and the updated network configuration contains no placeholder timestamp or epoch. Core developers have indicated that a replacement upgrade schedule will be formally announced once additional testing and analysis are complete.
Hoodi Node and Validator Operators
The sudden shift in the network roadmap places immediate responsibilities on anyone operating a Hoodi node or validator. Operators must thoroughly examine both their execution and consensus layer client setups to ensure their configurations reflect the postponed activation well before the original October 26 target date. Any running software or custom network configurations that still hardcode the Glamsterdam upgrade at the original epoch must be manually updated to align with the revised Hoodi parameters.
Furthermore, node operators are advised not to rely on earlier client release tables as proof that specific software versions have incorporated the postponement. It is critical to monitor official client release notes and follow instructions provided by individual client development teams to ensure complete synchronization with the revised Hoodi schedule. Validator operators must similarly scrutinize instructions concerning their validator clients and builder infrastructure to prevent unintended network forks or synchronization failures.
Client Releases
As client development teams work to adjust their software for the postponed Hoodi activation, updated releases will be issued to reflect the new state of the network. Operators are urged to update both their execution layer and consensus layer clients exclusively to software versions whose official documentation explicitly confirms that the October 26 Glamsterdam activation on Hoodi has been formally removed.
Because client software updates are rolled out asynchronously by different development squads, operators should monitor official communications channels and repository updates continuously. When running a validator, maintaining compatibility requires strict attention to detail, ensuring that both the consensus layer beacon node and the validator client match the revised network specifications.
Builder and validator tooling guidance will similarly be updated and published as soon as it is confirmed for the delayed activation. Operators who depend on external block-building infrastructure must closely follow the specific directions provided by their tooling providers to ensure uninterrupted operations during the transition period.
Application Developers and Mainnet Users
For application developers who rely on the Hoodi testnet for staging and testing decentralized applications, the message from core developers is clear: do not plan your testing cycles around an October 26 Glamsterdam activation. Because the original timeline has been shelved, developers will need to adjust their internal milestones and await the publication of a rescheduled activation roadmap.
It is important for the broader community to note that this announcement pertains strictly to the Hoodi testnet. The decision does not establish a Glamsterdam activation date for the Ethereum mainnet, nor does it impact the day-to-day operations of the main network. Consequently, no action whatsoever is required from Ethereum mainnet users, smart contract deployers, or ETH holders as a result of this latest development cycle. Core developers will release further details regarding the rescheduled upgrade path as investigations into EIP-8037 progress.
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
