Ethereum’s Biggest Move Post-Merge: A Radical Transformation Process Has Begun

Ethereum developers have moved into the critical testing phase for Glamsterdam, the largest update planned for 2026, aimed at increasing the network’s scalability.

Ethereum, the leading altcoin in the cryptocurrency world, is taking a giant step to bring network performance to the next level. Ethereum core developers have accelerated preparations for the new network update, named Glamsterdam, which is planned to be implemented in 2026. Developer teams have begun comprehensive testing, including all planned improvement proposals, on dedicated developer networks (devnets).

This update focuses on increasing transaction capacity and efficiency on Ethereum’s mainnet (Layer 1). Developers are reaching the final stage before freezing the codebase and submitting it to public testnets. Seen as a critical turning point especially for the network’s future growth strategies, this process promises fundamental changes to the technical infrastructure.

Ethereum’s Biggest Step Since the Merge

The Glamsterdam update is described as the most ambitious move since The Merge in 2022, when the network transitioned from mining to proof-of-stake. While developer Jayanthi characterizes this process as the largest fork since the Merge, they state that many assumptions about Ethereum will change and a solid foundation will be laid for much larger scaling goals in the future.

Key features of the update include ePBS (EIP-7732), which makes the block production process more secure and efficient, and Block-Level Access Lists (EIP-7928), which optimize data access. These technical improvements aim not only to increase the network’s speed but also to lower transaction costs and improve the user experience.