Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Fusaka Upgrade Activates in November 2025 to Boost Scalability and Node Efficiency

Ethereum’s Fusaka hard fork is set to launch in early November 2025, marking the next step in the network’s 2025 roadmap of upgrades. Scheduled to activate at a predefined block height, the Fusaka upgrade follows the Pectra hard fork in May 2025 and continues Ethereum’s focus on core infrastructure improvements. Unlike Pectra, which introduced visible changes such as account abstraction, Fusaka is a more technical update, bundling 11 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) that enhance scalability, node resilience, and efficiency without altering smart contract functionality. The upgrade is positioned to strengthen Ethereum’s ability to handle growing demand, particularly from rollups and decentralized finance (DeFi) applications, while maintaining backward compatibility [1].

Testing for Fusaka began with the launch of Devnet-3 in July 2025, followed by two rounds of public Ethereum testnets in September and October 2025. These phases allowed developers to identify and fix potential issues before the mainnet deployment. A final EIP freeze on August 1, 2025, locked the scope of the upgrade, allowing six weeks for final testing and preparation. The mainnet activation is expected between November 5–12, 2025, strategically timed to precede the Devconnect conference in Buenos Aires, where key Ethereum developers and stakeholders will convene [1].

Among the 11 EIPs included in Fusaka, several stand out for their impact on Ethereum’s long-term scalability. EIP-7594 introduces PeerDAS, a protocol that allows nodes to validate data availability without downloading full data blobs, significantly reducing the bandwidth and storage required for running a node. This is a critical step for supporting rollups and improving network performance under high load. EIP-7825 adds spam resistance checks, a feature designed to prevent malicious actors from overwhelming the network with low-cost, high-volume transactions. Additionally, EIP-7935 outlines an increase in the Ethereum gas limit, starting at around 45 million and scaling up to 150 million units, enabling more transactions per block and improving throughput [1].

The Fusaka upgrade also introduces more subtle but important changes. EIP-7934 caps encoded block sizes to prevent bloat and improve node efficiency. EIP-7939 adds a CLZ opcode, which enables more efficient cryptographic and compression operations. EIP-7951 brings native support for the P-256 elliptic curve, aligning Ethereum with existing Web2 security standards and facilitating integration with more traditional cryptographic systems [1].

While Fusaka is primarily a backend-focused update, it sets the stage for future proposals, such as EIP-7782, which aims to reduce Ethereum’s block time to six seconds. If implemented, this could significantly boost the network’s transaction per second (TPS) capacity, potentially moving closer to the performance of traditional payment networks like Visa. These future enhancements are already being discussed, with developers preparing for the next major upgrade, Glamsterdam, which is expected in 2026 [1].

For developers, Fusaka represents a powerful but subtle evolution of Ethereum’s infrastructure. The changes allow for more transactions per block, improved node efficiency, and better compatibility with layer-2 solutions, all without disrupting existing applications or user experiences. For everyday users, the impact may be less visible but equally important—steadier gas fees, fewer transaction delays, and a more reliable network during periods of high demand [1].

Despite these improvements, there are trade-offs. An increased gas limit may raise storage and bandwidth requirements, potentially making it more difficult for smaller validators to operate. This could lead to a greater concentration of power among larger, industrial-scale operators, a concern that developers are actively monitoring. Nonetheless, the measured and iterative approach of the Fusaka upgrade reflects Ethereum’s broader strategy of continuous improvement, balancing performance with decentralization [1].

The Fusaka hard fork is not just a technical milestone—it is also a demonstration of Ethereum’s commitment to a disciplined and transparent development process. By adhering to a semiannual upgrade cadence and maintaining rigorous testing protocols, the Ethereum community continues to refine the network’s capabilities while preparing for the next wave of innovation. As the network moves closer to activation, the focus shifts toward the upcoming Devconnect conference and the long-term goals of Ethereum in 2026 and beyond [1].

Source: [1] Ethereum’s Fusaka upgrade set for November: What you need to know (https://cointelegraph.com/explained/ethereums-fusaka-upgrade-set-for-november-what-you-need-to-know)