Ethereum’s scaling agenda is entering an entirely new phase of execution.
On June 17, 2026, Ethereum Foundation core developer Parithosh Jayanthi confirmed that the Glamsterdam upgrade has reached its final development stage. Currently, developer networks (devnets) are running all planned Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) for this upgrade. This marks the last phase before codebase hardening and deployment to public testnets. While the official activation schedule is yet to be finalized, Glamsterdam is expected to launch on mainnet in the second half of 2026.
This upgrade is widely described as Ethereum’s largest protocol overhaul since The Merge in 2022. Unlike previous upgrades that focused on L2 data availability or account abstraction, Glamsterdam targets Ethereum Layer 1 itself—aiming to fundamentally change how Ethereum processes transactions by overhauling block production, introducing parallel execution, and revamping the resource pricing model.
Ethereum’s Upgrade Cadence: From "Fixing Problems" to "Rearchitecting the Core"
Glamsterdam’s arrival is not an isolated event but a natural progression following the successful Pectra and Fusaka upgrades in 2025. That year, Ethereum completed two hard forks: Pectra (which merged account abstraction and validator staking) and Fusaka (expanding PeerDAS and blob data availability). These proved that a semi-annual upgrade cycle is feasible. Entering 2026, Glamsterdam and the upcoming Hegotá upgrade form a technical continuum—Glamsterdam addresses "how to make the network faster," while Hegotá focuses on "how to make the network lighter and more sustainable." This engineered cadence signals Ethereum’s transition from "emergency fixes" to a mature phase of systematic iteration.
Looking at the roadmap, Ethereum’s upgrade trajectory is clear. The Berlin and London upgrades in 2021 optimized the gas mechanism and introduced EIP-1559. The Merge in 2022 completed the historic shift from PoW to PoS. Shanghai in 2023 unlocked staking withdrawals. Cancun in 2024 introduced blob transactions to reduce L2 costs. In 2025, Pectra and Fusaka elevated account abstraction and data availability to new heights. Glamsterdam sits at a pivotal point in this evolution—it marks the strategic shift from "L2-first scaling" to "L1 and L2 collaborative scaling."
The Technical Core of Glamsterdam
Glamsterdam’s technical core can be summarized in three interlocking components: in-protocol proposer-builder separation (ePBS), block-level access lists (BALs), and a comprehensive gas repricing overhaul. Together, they form a holistic solution to boost L1 throughput, reduce centralization risks, and optimize resource pricing.
- EIP-7732 (ePBS) is Glamsterdam’s flagship proposal at the consensus layer. Currently, the relationship between block proposers and builders is not part of the core protocol; it relies on off-chain relay software and third-party infrastructure. This off-chain mechanism introduces additional trust assumptions and centralization risks. ePBS writes the separation of proposers (who select consensus blocks) and builders (who assemble execution payloads) directly into Ethereum’s protocol, eliminating reliance on third-party relays and enabling trustless builder payments at the protocol layer. This change has two direct impacts: it reduces opportunities for manipulation related to maximal extractable value (MEV) by lowering information asymmetry and increasing fairness in block production; and it extends the block propagation window, allowing for larger payloads and opening new avenues for L1 scaling.
- EIP-7928 (Block-Level Access Lists) is the core breakthrough at the execution layer. This proposal allows blocks to pre-declare which accounts and smart contract data they intend to access before execution. This seemingly simple information disclosure removes a key barrier to parallel execution in Ethereum clients. Historical data shows that 60% to 80% of transactions access non-overlapping storage slots, meaning many transactions could, in theory, be processed in parallel rather than sequentially. By pre-reading transaction read/write dependencies, nodes can assign non-conflicting transactions to different CPU cores for parallel execution. This represents a fundamental shift from Ethereum’s long-standing single-threaded execution model. The direct result is faster block validation and a significant leap in network processing capacity—with the gas limit planned to gradually increase from the current 60 million to 200 million.
- Gas Repricing is Glamsterdam’s third pillar, as critical as the other two. Jayanthi stated, "This will dramatically change operating costs on Ethereum. High-level computation will become cheaper, while state management will become more expensive." The goal is to make gas fees more accurately reflect the actual resources consumed by different operations, while paving the way for future gas limit increases—preventing unchecked state growth as limits rise. Specifically, the cost of computation-heavy operations (such as complex calculations and zero-knowledge proof verification) will decrease, while operations that frequently read or write on-chain state will become more expensive. This means compute-intensive applications (like on-chain AI inference and ZK proof verification) could see significantly lower gas costs, while DApps that frequently access storage will need to reassess their economic models.
What’s the Current Status of the Glamsterdam Upgrade?
Glamsterdam has advanced from devnet to its final testing phase. Developers are now running the full set of EIPs on devnets, the last step before codebase hardening and deployment to public testnets. Next, the upgrade will be deployed and tested on public testnets before mainnet launch. The Soldøgn cross-client interoperability event, which concluded on May 2, 2026, provided crucial validation for Glamsterdam’s implementation. The Ethereum Foundation’s April 2026 Checkpoint report also confirmed steady progress on the upgrade.
What Impact Will the Glamsterdam Upgrade Have on the Industry?
For node operators and validators, Glamsterdam means both execution layer (EL) and consensus layer (CL) clients must be upgraded before mainnet activation. Regular ETH holders do not need to take any action. For developers, the effects of gas repricing are already coming into focus—DApps with high-frequency state reads/writes may need to adjust their strategies, while compute-heavy applications will benefit from lower costs.
Glamsterdam will also reshape the MEV industry. Today’s MEV market relies heavily on off-chain relays and centralized infrastructure. By integrating PBS into the protocol layer, ePBS paves the way for a more transparent and decentralized MEV ecosystem. Reducing reliance on centralized relays will also strengthen Ethereum’s resistance to censorship. This is not just a technical optimization—it’s a structural adjustment to Ethereum’s economic foundation.
Ethereum’s roadmap doesn’t stop with Glamsterdam. The next upgrade, Hegotá, has already finalized its core feature set—FOCIL (Fork-Choice Enforced Inclusion Lists, EIP-7805) has been selected as the consensus layer’s flagship proposal. From Glamsterdam’s L1 performance scaling to Hegotá’s state lightening, Ethereum’s upgrade logic is shifting from "scaling" to "sustainable scaling." This cadence is only possible with a mature engineering process.
Glamsterdam is the most ambitious protocol-level upgrade since The Merge. It doesn’t change Ethereum’s consensus mechanism, but it will reshape the underlying economic model and block production logic. ePBS moves block builder trust assumptions from off-chain to on-chain. BALs unlock parallel execution. Gas repricing lays the economic groundwork for higher throughput. Together, these changes make Glamsterdam the critical bridge as Ethereum shifts from "L2-first" to a dual path of "high-performance L1 + scalable L2."
Of course, this upgrade comes with uncertainties. ePBS implementation is more complex than anticipated, and the long-term effects of gas repricing on the ecosystem remain to be seen. The results of public testnet deployments, cross-client consistency, and community acceptance of repricing changes will all influence the final mainnet activation date. But regardless of when in the second half of 2026 Glamsterdam goes live, it has already secured an irreplaceable place in Ethereum’s evolution—it is the essential step from "usable" to "user-friendly."
Summary
The Glamsterdam upgrade is the most significant technical milestone on Ethereum’s 2026 roadmap. It integrates proposer-builder separation (ePBS, EIP-7732) into the protocol, unlocks parallel execution with block-level access lists (EIP-7928), and overhauls the resource cost structure with comprehensive gas repricing. All three aim to dramatically increase Layer 1 transaction throughput while preserving decentralization. The upgrade is now in its final devnet testing phase and is expected to go live on mainnet in the second half of 2026. For node operators, developers, and ecosystem participants, understanding the technical and economic implications of this upgrade is essential for making informed decisions in Ethereum’s next phase.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: When will the Glamsterdam upgrade go live on mainnet?
According to Ethereum Foundation core developer Parithosh Jayanthi, Glamsterdam is expected to launch on mainnet in the second half of 2026, but "there is no fixed schedule" at this time. The upgrade is still in the devnet testing phase, with public testnet deployment and hardening to follow.
Q: How does ePBS (EIP-7732) reduce MEV manipulation?
Currently, the separation of block building and proposing relies on off-chain relays, which introduces trust assumptions and centralization risks. EIP-7732 moves this mechanism on-chain at the protocol layer, reducing reliance on off-chain intermediaries and limiting opportunities for MEV manipulation.
Q: How will gas repricing affect Ethereum users and developers?
The cost of computation-heavy operations (like complex calculations) will decrease, while state management operations (such as storage reads and writes) will become more expensive. This means compute-intensive applications may see lower gas fees, while DApps with frequent state access will need to adapt to higher costs.
Q: What do ETH holders need to do for the Glamsterdam upgrade?
Regular ETH holders do not need to take any action. Node operators and validators must update both their execution layer (EL) and consensus layer (CL) clients before mainnet activation.
Q: How is Glamsterdam different from previous Ethereum upgrades?
Unlike Pectra (account abstraction) and Fusaka (data availability), which mainly focused on L2 scaling, Glamsterdam directly rearchitects Layer 1. It is the largest protocol upgrade since The Merge in 2022, with a core focus on increasing L1 transaction throughput and decentralization.
Q: What’s the next Ethereum upgrade after Glamsterdam?
The next upgrade is Hegotá, with its flagship feature FOCIL (EIP-7805) selected for the consensus layer. Hegotá will focus on state lightening, building on Glamsterdam’s performance scaling for a logical technical progression.
