Ethereum Testnet Holešky to be Shut Down

The Ethereum Foundation has announced that Holešky, one of Ethereum's largest testnets, will be shut down after reaching the end of its lifespan. The decision follows the launch of a new testnet called Hoodi in March 2025, which provides a more efficient and limitation-free testing environment. Holešky was primarily used for large-scale testing of staking infrastructure and validator operations, but experienced network inactivity and long validator exit queues. The shutdown is set to take place two weeks after the Fusaka upgrade is approved.

The Ethereum Foundation has announced the imminent shutdown of Holešky, one of Ethereum's largest testnets. This decision follows the launch of Hoodi, a new testnet designed to provide a more efficient and limitation-free testing environment. Holešky was primarily used for large-scale testing of staking infrastructure and validator operations but experienced network inactivity and long validator exit queues [1].

Holešky, launched in September 2023, played a crucial role in testing network improvements, including the Dencun upgrade and the Pectra activation. However, it began showing weaknesses in early 2025, leading to an extended validator exit queue and making full lifecycle testing impractical [2]. In response, the Ethereum Foundation launched Hoodi in March 2025, offering a clean validator set and compatibility with Pectra, as well as readiness for future upgrades such as Fusaka [3].

The shutdown of Holešky is scheduled to take place two weeks after the Fusaka upgrade is approved. Fusaka, set for early November, aims to improve how rollups access data by distributing data availability workloads more efficiently across network validators. This upgrade could make running nodes easier, improve network decentralization, and boost layer-2 scalability [4].

With Holešky's shutdown, the Ethereum Foundation is consolidating its testnet structure. Developers focusing on smart contracts and decentralized applications are advised to use Sepolia, while staking operators and infrastructure teams are encouraged to move to Hoodi. Ephemery will continue to serve as a lightweight space for testing validator lifecycles with regular resets [3].

This move reflects the Ethereum community's commitment to improving every network layer and addressing the challenges faced by Holešky. The consolidation of resources into these testnets aims to support developers and validators more efficiently.

References:
[1] https://cointelegraph.com/news/ethereum-testnet-holesky-shut-down
[2] https://www.lookonchain.com/feeds/27220
[3] https://cryptoslate.com/ethereum-to-retire-holesky-testnet-as-hoodi-takes-center-stage/
[4] https://en.coinotag.com/breakingnews/ethereum-deprecates-holesky-testnet-after-validator-exodus-hoodi-launched-as-replacement/