BNB Chain Completes Pascal Hard Fork, Boosts Transaction Throughput 50%

BNB Chain has successfully completed its Pascal Hard Fork, marking a significant milestone in its development. This upgrade integrates key Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) enhancements, including EIP-7702, which aims to improve transaction throughput and compatibility with the Ethereum network. The integration of EIP-7702 is a crucial component of the Pascal update, enabling advanced functionalities such as gas abstraction, smart contract wallets, and batch transactions. This change eliminates the need for users to approve two separate transactions for common actions in DeFi, enhancing user experience with features like social recovery and native multi-sigs.

With the completion of the Pascal Hard Fork, BNB Chain is now focusing on two upcoming upgrades: Lorentz in April and Maxwell in June. These upgrades are designed to reduce block times and improve transaction finality, further enhancing the network's speed and efficiency. The Lorentz upgrade, scheduled for April 2025, aims to reduce block times to 1.5 seconds on the BNB Smart Chain (BSC) and 0.5 seconds for opBNB. This will significantly decrease confirmation times for transactions and improve the overall responsiveness of the network. The Maxwell upgrade, planned for June 2025, will further decrease block processing times to 0.75 seconds, making on-chain interactions nearly instant.

BNB Chain has advised node owners, validators, exchanges, and infrastructure providers to update their systems promptly to avoid falling out of sync with the main network after the hard fork. Developers and crypto platforms must ensure their systems and dApps support the new transaction structures introduced by Pascal. The network improvements are accompanied by ecosystem changes, including the transition of the BNB Chain Wallet to a Lite Version as part of the BNB Beacon Chain sunset process. Users are encouraged to follow official guidance for asset migration or alternative wallet solutions.

Despite these transitions, the BNB Chain ecosystem remains highly active. The network has seen a surge in Decentralized Exchange (DEX) trading volume, driven partly by the rise of memecoins and increased activity on PancakeSwap. This surge in activity underscores the growing adoption and usage of the BNB Chain network, positioning it as a leading player in the blockchain ecosystem. The successful completion of the Pascal Hard Fork and the upcoming Lorentz and Maxwell upgrades demonstrate BNB Chain's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation, reinforcing its position as an early adopter of key EVM enhancements.