The Ethereum ecosystem is marching steadily forward with its Layer 1 scaling roadmap as core developers and client teams officially schedule the Glamsterdam network upgrade for the Hoodi testnet. This milestone follows closely on the heels of Glamsterdam’s successful activation on the Sepolia testnet earlier in the month on October 6, 2026. The upcoming deployment on Hoodi marks another critical step in testing comprehensive protocol changes designed to optimize block production, expand execution capacity, and better align gas pricing with actual resource consumption and state growth.
According to the agreed deployment schedule and network configuration, the Glamsterdam upgrade is set to activate on Hoodi at epoch 132,352, which corresponds to slot 4,235,264. The exact activation timestamp is locked in for October 26, 2026, at 17:42:48 UTC. Simultaneously at this target epoch, the Hoodi testnet will experience a significant adjustment as its gas limit is raised to 200 million, mirroring the configuration previously established on Sepolia. While testnet momentum is building, developers and node operators should note that an official activation date for the Ethereum mainnet has not yet been decided by client teams and will be announced at a later time once stability and performance are thoroughly evaluated.
To ensure a seamless transition, node operators running non-staking nodes or validating on Hoodi must update both their execution layer and consensus layer clients to compatible versions prior to the upgrade time. Client release tables are currently being populated as software packages confirm support for the scheduled Hoodi activation. Operators are strongly advised to verify that their chosen releases explicitly state compatibility with the Glamsterdam upgrade to prevent falling out of sync with the network once the activation epoch arrives.
Glamsterdam Overview
The Glamsterdam network upgrade represents a massive collaborative engineering effort, successfully combining the Amsterdam execution layer upgrade with the Gloas consensus layer upgrade. At its core, the upgrade introduces groundbreaking mechanisms aimed at overhauling how transactions are bundled, validated, and processed across the Ethereum network. The headlining architectural changes center around enshrined proposer-builder separation and block-level access lists, which together form a robust foundation for supporting higher Layer 1 throughput without compromising the decentralization or feasibility of node operation.
Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation
One of the most anticipated components of the upgrade is the introduction of enshrined proposer-builder separation, commonly referred to as ePBS, implemented via EIP-7732. Historically, the separation of block proposers and builders relied heavily on trusted external middleware and relays. EPBS integrates this separation directly into the core consensus protocol of Ethereum. Under the new protocol rules, a block proposer includes a builder’s cryptographic commitment to an execution payload, and the builder subsequently reveals the actual payload within the designated timeframe.
Crucially, the protocol itself handles the secure payment flow from the builder to the proposer, substantially minimizing reliance on trusted third-party infrastructure. Furthermore, ePBS cleanly decouples consensus validation from execution validation. This separation grants validator nodes significantly more breathing room and time to thoroughly validate execution payloads. To enforce accountability, a newly introduced payload timeliness committee acts as an objective observer, attesting whether builders successfully revealed their payloads and ensured corresponding blob data availability on time. Validator operators and teams maintaining specialized builder infrastructure are encouraged to carefully review these new protocol duties and software interfaces ahead of the upgrade.
Block-Level Access Lists
Complementing ePBS are block-level access lists, introduced via EIP-7928. These enforced lists systematically record all the individual accounts and specific storage locations accessed throughout the lifecycle of a block, alongside recording post-transaction state changes. By providing explicit visibility into state interactions upfront, block-level access lists enable client software to read state data from disk concurrently, validate transactions in parallel, and compute state roots with a much higher degree of computational efficiency. Together, ePBS and block-level access lists equip Ethereum with the architectural horsepower needed to scale execution capacity while keeping day-to-day block validation practical and accessible for independent node operators.
Gas Pricing and State Growth
State bloat and resource pricing have long been critical areas of focus for Ethereum’s core developers. Glamsterdam introduces substantial adjustments to gas accounting to ensure that fees accurately reflect the true resource burden placed on the network. Specifically, EIP-8037 increases and separately meters the cost associated with creating new state, while EIP-8038 updates the baseline costs for general state access. Additional modifications are being implemented to refine intrinsic transaction gas calculations, calldata processing, access lists, and overall block gas accounting metrics.
Because these changes alter fundamental cost structures, application developers must thoroughly test their smart contracts and gas estimation logic against the new rules. Smart contracts that rely on fixed gas stipends, hardcoded transaction gas limits, or legacy assumptions regarding remaining gas may experience unexpected failures and will likely require code modifications. Developers can consult the dedicated Glamsterdam repricing impact guide and search tools to identify affected contracts and access comprehensive testing guidance prior to mainnet deployment.
Developer and Validator Improvements
Beyond the headline-grabbing architectural overhauls, Glamsterdam bundles a rich suite of improvements designed to empower application and protocol developers alike. The upgrade introduces native ETH transfer logs, a dedicated slot-number opcode, a higher maximum contract size limit, a deterministic factory contract, and several new stack-manipulation instructions to streamline smart contract development. On the consensus layer side, changes include forward-compatible data structures, protocol rules that explicitly exclude slashed validators from proposing new blocks, and increased exit and consolidation churn rates to improve validator set dynamics.
Security and Bug Bounty Integration
Security remains a paramount priority for every major Ethereum network upgrade. The established Ethereum Bug Bounty Program is officially active for all Glamsterdam specifications and associated EIPs. Individual client implementations become eligible for bug bounty rewards as soon as their respective software releases are officially cataloged in the client release tables. Security researchers and developers are encouraged to review the official Ethereum Bug Bounty Program documentation to understand reward multipliers, scope boundaries, and secure vulnerability reporting procedures.
Looking Ahead
The scheduling of the Glamsterdam upgrade on the Hoodi testnet represents another vital milestone in Ethereum’s continuous evolution. As the October 26 activation approaches, the collective focus of the community remains fixed on monitoring testnet stability, validating client software updates, and ensuring that validators, node operators, and application developers are fully prepared for the next major leap in Ethereum’s scaling journey. Mainnet activation timelines will follow once testnet data provides a clear and confident path forward.
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
