Taiko Announces Pacaya Hardfork for Enhanced Efficiency and Speed

Taiko, a permissionless network operating on the Ethereum blockchain, has announced a significant network upgrade scheduled for next week. The Pacaya Hardfork will be triggered at block 1,166,000 on the Alethia Mainnet. This upgrade is designed to introduce new features that enhance processing speed and overall efficiency. Node operators are advised to update their software and related services before the fork event to ensure seamless integration.

This upgrade follows extensive community testing on various existing network systems over the past few months. The core of this change involves the implementation of a new Multiproving system for proofs, which will be sourced from secure environments such as sgxGeth and sgxReth. This design aims to simplify the proof process for users, making it less complex and more efficient. The Pacaya Hardfork upgrade on Taiko Alethia is set to follow these changes, paving the way for wider and more scalable use cases. This shift is crucial for improving network structure and efficiency, with a focus on enhancing security and reducing reliance on third-party provers.

The current protocol version utilizes a contestable rollup structure for transaction processing, which has handled over 653 million transactions with low costs and strong security. However, confirmation times can sometimes slow user interactions on the network. To address this, developers plan to enable efficient confirmation steps in the upcoming changes. The Pacaya upgrade will introduce these improvements, refining the user transaction flow and aligning with the vision of an Ethereum-based rollup model. Earlier trials have shown promising gains in confirmation speed and user satisfaction.

One of the key changes in the Pacaya Hardfork is the transition from single-block proposals to a batch-based format. This new structure groups multiple blocks into one batch, reducing overhead and costs per block. All blocks in a batch share metadata and draw transactions from a common source, making smaller blocks feasible while maintaining low network costs. This approach is expected to result in faster block confirmations and more efficient transaction handling, reducing the burden on network nodes during peak activity times. Developers believe this shift will bring greater scalability to the platform’s operations.

Under the new architecture, the Guardian proving mechanism will be removed. Instead, the network will rely on Multiproving for enhanced batch proof security. Multiproving will require multiple proofs per batch from secure execution environments. A single verifier contract will automatically check both sgxGeth and sgxReth proofs, streamlining proof handling and lowering risks linked to external services. These updates bring the network closer to Stage 1 Layer 2 requirements, and participants are advised to understand these changes before the Pacaya upgrade activates. Early feedback will guide future protocol enhancements and verifier improvements.

Another key feature of the Pacaya Hardfork is the introduction of permissioned preconfirmation services. Initially, approved entities will act as preconfirmation nodes, testing performance while avoiding new contracts or complex software updates. Participants must meet uptime and responsiveness requirements to serve effectively. This stage sets the groundwork for broader preconfirmation access in later phases, with future plans proposing staking or restaking models with slashing incentives and open access. Early launch partners include Chainbound, Nethermind, and Gattaca among the initial group. Feedback gathered will shape the final open model for all network users.

Taiko’s network economic model offers benefits as well as some key trade-offs. By tackling sequencer centralization, the project moves toward more open governance. With the Pacaya upgrade, this network advances efficiency and user-friendliness significantly. These improvements mark another step toward decentralization and robust performance on Ethereum. Users can look forward to smoother transactions and lower fees after the upgrade, enhancing the overall user experience on the Taiko network.