Ethereum News Today: Ethereum Plans Fusaka Hard Fork for November to Boost Efficiency

Ethereum core developers have tentatively scheduled the release of the protocol’s next major hard fork, named Fusaka, for November. This upgrade is designed to enhance the network's efficiency and scalability. The Ethereum community has been advocating for more frequent and faster upgrades to the protocol. The timeline for Fusaka places it six months after the most recent Ethereum hard fork, Pectra, which introduced account abstraction, increased the validator staking limit, and improved the efficiency of layer-2 networks.

The Fusaka hard fork is set to include 11 Ethereum improvement proposals, with one of the key proposals being EIP-7825. This proposal aims to make the network more resilient to malicious attacks while also scaling the network. Additionally, Ethereum core developers have proposed raising Ethereum’s gas limit to 150 million. However, to expedite the testing process, EIP-7907, which would double the contract code size limit and introduce gas metering, has been removed. In April, Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko stated that the controversial EVM Object Format upgrade would not be part of the Fusaka upgrade.

Two public testnets are scheduled to follow in September and October, with the final launch of the Fusaka hard fork planned for early November. Ethereum protocol support member Nixo expressed concerns about launching Fusaka on the Ethereum mainnet this year, stating that the timeline needs to be tight to meet the deadline. Devconnect, an event where Ethereum core developers will gather feedback for the Glamsterdam hard fork, is set to take place from Nov. 17 to Nov. 22 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The tentative deadline for Fusaka comes as Ethereum core developers prepare to gather feedback for the Glamsterdam hard fork, with the upgrades that will make it into the hard fork to be announced during the next AllCoreDevs - Execution meeting, scheduled for Aug. 1.

Ethereum core developer Barnabé Monnot proposed reducing the block time from the current 12 seconds to six seconds. According to Monnot, this change will greatly improve the user experience and make DeFi DApps more efficient. If approved, the upgrade will be rolled out with the Glamsterdam hard fork, which is scheduled to release sometime in 2026. Meanwhile, Ethereum validators have signaled their support for raising the network’s gas limit to 45 million, which will reduce transaction costs and improve network scalability. Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin stated that “Almost exactly 50% of stake is voting to increase the L1 gas limit to 45m.”

In summary, the Fusaka upgrade is a critical step in Ethereum's development, aimed at improving the network's scalability, security, and efficiency. The community's push for more frequent upgrades reflects the growing demands of its user base and the broader cryptocurrency market. The upcoming Glamsterdam hard fork, planned for 2026, will introduce further improvements and new features, ensuring that Ethereum remains at the forefront of blockchain technology. The Ethereum Foundation and its developers are committed to delivering these upgrades on schedule, with the community eagerly anticipating the substantial improvements to the network's performance and functionality.