Skip to content
- Ethereum Glamsterdam upgrade targets stronger Layer 1 performance in Q3 2026 rollout
- EIP-7732 brings block building on-chain to reduce dependence on MEV-Boost relay systems
- EIP-7928 may enable parallel execution and blocks of up to 200 million gas capacity
Ethereum is preparing for the Glamsterdam hard fork, a network upgrade planned for the third quarter of 2026. The update focuses on Layer 1 improvements. It targets better block production, higher transaction capacity, and stronger execution performance across the protocol.
As per the report, Everstake said the upgrade centers on EIP-7732 and EIP-7928. These proposals address block building and transaction execution. The changes are designed to bring more activity inside the Ethereum protocol instead of relying on external systems.
Ethereum ePBS Proposal Moves Block Building On-Chain
EIP-7732 introduces Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation, known as ePBS. The proposal moves block building from off-chain relay systems into the protocol. It changes how builders submit bids and how payments are handled during block production.
MEV-Boost relays play a key role in the current system. It is these relays that construct more than 88% of Ethereum blocks. They run outside the protocol and rely on trust-based coordination, which is not fully on-chain enforced.
However, Builders would submit the signed bids that would contain the protocol-level identities under ePBS. They would also make payments within the Ethereum system. The change is designed to decrease the reliance on relays and increase the network’s control over block creation.
EIP-7928 is about block-level access lists. Ethereum nodes used to process transactions sequentially, as it was impossible to determine the state in advance. Before execution, nodes are handed a map of accounts and storage slots in the proposal.
Also Read: Coinbase Crypto Mortgage Breakthrough Turns Bitcoin into Home Down Payments
That map could enable parallel processing between CPU cores. It can also facilitate larger blocks, which have more gas in them. The design could enable blocks to achieve up to 200 million gas under the proposed design, Everstake said.
Glamsterdam Adds New Validator Payload Timeliness Role
Glamsterdam also unveils a Payload Timeliness Committee. The new validator responsibility would be to verify timely delivery of block payloads. Validators, solo stakers, and staking operators need to upgrade their Consensus Layer and Execution Layer clients in advance of the activation.
Infrastructure providers will make the required client updates, said Everstake. They will also ensure to keep stakeholders updated during the rollout. With the hard fork window set to open in a few months, node operators have had ample time to prepare for the changes.
Two expected features were left out of Glamsterdam. EIP-7782 and 6-second slots were dropped because of potential clashes with ZK proving timelines. To prevent unsettled interactions with ePBS at mainnet scale, FOCIL was deferred to Hegota.
Hegota is a target for the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027. The use of FOCIL is likely its primary function. Longer-term development efforts are ongoing for Ethereum in the form of Verkle Trees, 2D PeerDAS, and full verification of L1 ZK-EVM.
The upgrade marks a shift towards a greater emphasis on Ethereum’s mainnet following years of expansion on Layer 2 solutions. The proposals, if implemented as planned, could enhance the scalability, security, and decentralization of the system.
The community will now monitor client preparedness, validator preparations, and critical development metrics ahead of third quarter activation in 2026.
Also Read: Kalshi Brings Ethereum Perpetual Futures to US Market
