Ethereum core developers have officially slated the highly anticipated Glamsterdam network upgrade for its next major milestone, targeting the Hoodi testnet following a successful deployment on Sepolia earlier this autumn. The upcoming upgrade represents a substantial leap forward in Ethereum’s Layer 1 scaling roadmap, introducing core architectural changes designed to optimize block production, validate transactions with greater efficiency, and better align gas pricing with the true economic costs of execution and state growth.
The Glamsterdam network upgrade is scheduled to go live on the Hoodi testnet at epoch 132,352, corresponding to slot 4,235,264, which places the activation time precisely on October 26, 2026, at 17:42:48 UTC. Alongside this transition, the Hoodi network’s gas limit will be significantly increased to 200 million, mirroring the parameters previously established during the Sepolia deployment. While testnet momentum is building rapidly, core developers have emphasized that a definitive mainnet activation date has not yet been locked in and will be determined only after thorough observation of the testnet environments.
In preparation for the event, node operators across the ecosystem are being urged to monitor client release channels closely. Compatible software versions for both execution and consensus layer clients are being rolled out progressively, and operators must update their systems ahead of the activation timestamp to ensure uninterrupted participation in the network.
Glamsterdam Overview
The Glamsterdam upgrade derives its name by combining the Amsterdam execution layer upgrade with the Gloas consensus layer upgrade, merging improvements across both pillars of the protocol. At its core, the package is anchored by two transformative features: enshrined proposer-builder separation and block-level access lists. Together, these modifications fundamentally reshape how blocks are built, propagated, and validated on Ethereum, providing the structural foundation required to safely scale Layer 1 throughput without compromising decentralization or overburdening node hardware.
Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation
One of the most consequential inclusions in the Glamsterdam upgrade is the implementation of enshrined proposer-builder separation, commonly referred to as ePBS, under EIP-7732. Historically, the division of labor between block proposers and specialized block builders relied heavily on external, trusted middleware to facilitate auctions and exchange payloads safely. EPBS internalizes this relationship directly into Ethereum’s consensus protocol.
Under the new mechanism, a block proposer includes a builder’s cryptographic commitment to an execution payload within a slot, and the builder subsequently reveals the payload itself. The protocol automatically manages the associated payment to the proposer, eliminating reliance on third-party channels. Furthermore, ePBS cleanly separates consensus validation from execution validation, granting validators significantly more time to scrutinize execution payloads. A newly introduced payload timeliness committee will attest whether builders revealed their payloads and corresponding blob data on schedule. Validator operators and entities maintaining builder infrastructure are strongly advised to familiarize themselves with these revised operational duties and interfaces prior to deployment.
Block-Level Access Lists
Complementing ePBS is the introduction of enforced block-level access lists via EIP-7928. These access lists provide a comprehensive record of the specific accounts and storage locations accessed over the course of a block, alongside post-transaction state changes. By having these lists available upfront, client software gains the unprecedented ability to read state data from disk concurrently, validate transactions in parallel, and compute state roots with vastly improved efficiency. This architectural enhancement tackles some of the most persistent bottlenecks in Ethereum’s execution pipeline, ensuring that block validation remains swift and practical for everyday node operators even as network activity expands.
Gas Pricing and State Growth
Glamsterdam also introduces comprehensive adjustments to gas accounting to ensure that fees more accurately reflect underlying resource consumption and the long-term cost of state bloat. EIP-8037 increases and separately meters the financial and computational cost of creating new state, while EIP-8038 updates the baseline expenses associated with state access. Additional adjustments target intrinsic transaction gas rules, calldata processing, access lists, and broader block gas accounting metrics.
Application developers are encouraged to test their smart contracts and gas estimation logic against these revised rules well in advance of mainnet deployment. Contracts that depend on fixed gas stipends, hardcoded limits, or historical assumptions regarding remaining gas may require modification. Ecosystem participants can consult the dedicated Glamsterdam repricing impact guide to search for affected contracts and access comprehensive testing resources.
Developer and Validator Improvements
Beyond its headline architectural shifts, Glamsterdam packs a broad array of enhancements tailored for developers and validators alike. The upgrade introduces native ETH transfer logs, a dedicated slot-number opcode, an increased maximum contract size, a deterministic factory contract, and novel stack-manipulation instructions. On the consensus side, modifications include forward-compatible data structures, protocols to exclude slashed validators from proposing blocks, and accelerated exit and consolidation churn rates to maintain validator set dynamism.
Security and Bug Bounty Programs
To safeguard the network against unforeseen vulnerabilities, the Ethereum Bug Bounty Program has been extended to cover all Glamsterdam specifications and associated EIPs. Individual client implementations become officially eligible for bounty rewards as soon as their respective release versions are integrated into the official tracking tables. Security researchers and auditors looking to participate can review the official Ethereum Bug Bounty documentation for details regarding reward multipliers, submission requirements, and reporting guidelines.
Activation Schedule and Client Releases
The agreed deployment timeline places the Sepolia activation behind us on October 6, 2026, at block parameters 353,024 and slot 11,296,768, with Hoodi following on October 26. Mainnet timelines remain open pending further stability analysis. Node operators running Hoodi nodes must ensure that both their consensus layer beacon nodes and validator clients are updated to compatible releases before the specified timestamp. Developers are reminded to rely exclusively on release notes that explicitly confirm support for the Hoodi Glamsterdam activation.
As the Ethereum community approaches another major protocol milestone, the successful coordination of client teams, node operators, and application developers underscores the resilience and maturity of Ethereum’s decentralized upgrade governance.
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
Ethereum & Smart Contracts
