The Ethereum Foundation has reported notable progress on the upcoming Glamsterdam upgrade, outlining a credible post-upgrade target and accelerating preparations on several parallel fronts. In a blog post, the foundation said it has established a 200 million gas limit floor as part of Glamsterdam’s rollout, a substantial increase from the current level around 60 million. The move is geared toward delivering a meaningful speed boost for post-upgrade network throughput and set the stage for the long-term scaling roadmap.

The foundation reiterated that the immediate priority is shipping Glamsterdam, which programmers had originally slated for June but are now targeting in the third quarter of 2026. Glamsterdam is billed as a foundational upgrade for the layer-1 chain, aimed at rethinking how the network processes transactions and manages its rapidly expanding data store, effectively “fundamentally updating how Ethereum creates and verifies blocks.”

Beyond Glamsterdam, Ethereum’s roadmap remains anchored by ongoing work on Hegotà, the anticipated next major upgrade, and the Strawmap, the project’s roadmap for quantum-readiness. The Ethereum Foundation noted that Glamsterdam devnets are live and that scoping for Hegotà is well underway, with continued progress being tracked at an interop event held in Svalbard, Norway.

Key takeaways

Glamsterdam targets a 200 million gas limit floor, a major step up from current levels and a potential driver of higher throughput after the upgrade.
Official timing has shifted from June toward the third quarter of 2026, with the focus remaining on delivering Glamsterdam and its scaling innovations.
Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS) stabilization has been confirmed, integrating the division of block-building duties more deeply into Ethereum’s rules.
EIP-8037, which prices data storage more efficiently, has been finalized to curb uncontrolled state growth as gas limits rise.
The Ethereum Foundation is undergoing a leadership transition in its Protocol cluster, bringing in new leads while several core developers move on or take sabbaticals.

Glamsterdam: scaling the L1 and redefining block creation

At its core, Glamsterdam is designed to reorganize Ethereum’s transaction processing and block verification so the network can handle a larger daily load without compromising safety. The plan to establish a 200 million gas floor signals the network’s intent to push forward with higher-capacity blocks while maintaining stability during the transition. The move aligns with broader efforts to improve L1 efficiency ahead of subsequent upgrades that promise to broaden the ecosystem’s capabilities for decentralized applications and user experience.

The Ethereum Foundation emphasized that the immediate aim is to ship Glamsterdam, with a revised timeline placing the upgrade in Q3 2026 rather than June. Developers are reportedly actively testing and refining the upgrade in devnets. The Svalbard interop event cited ongoing collaboration and alignment among researchers, developers, and infrastructure teams as they validate cross-component interactions and ensure the upgrade’s components work cohesively in practice.

In parallel with Glamsterdam, the Foundation remains focused on Hegotà, the forthcoming major upgrade, and the Strawmap, Ethereum’s strategic plan for quantum resistance and long-term data management. The combination of these tracks reflects a deliberate, multi-layered approach to scaling Ethereum while preserving its security guarantees and decentralization ethos. The Strawmap, in particular, remains a touchstone for how Ethereum intends to evolve in the quantum era, balancing forward-looking security with practical deployment paths.

Smarter data storage and a more resilient block-building model

Two significant protocol milestones were highlighted as part of the ongoing evolution. First, the enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS) has reached stabilization, formalizing how validators outsource block-building duties to a set of specialized builders within Ethereum’s consensus rules. This enshrinement minimizes reliance on external relays and gives the network a longer runway to accommodate larger blocks safely. The shift aims to reduce latency and improve block production efficiency without compromising the core safety properties that underpin Ethereum’s security model.

Second, EIP-8037 has been finalized, introducing smarter pricing for storing state data. By raising the cost of state-creation operations, the proposal helps prevent unsustainable growth of on-chain state as block gas limits rise. The combination of ePBS and EIP-8037 is intended to bolster Ethereum’s data management framework at a time when higher throughput could otherwise accelerate state growth if not properly priced and managed.

These changes are not standalone; they are part of a cohesive effort to ensure that Glamsterdam and subsequent upgrades can deliver meaningful improvements in performance and cost-efficiency while keeping the network resilient against data bloat and security risks associated with larger blocks.

Protocol leadership enters a transitional phase

The Ethereum Foundation also disclosed a leadership transition within its Protocol cluster. Will Corcoran, Kev Wedderburn, and Fredrik have been named as new leads guiding protocol development, signaling a renewed wave of coordination and direction for core research and implementation work. In parallel, two long-standing contributors, Barnabé Monnot and Tim Beiko, are moving on from Foundation roles, and Alex Stokes will be taking sabbatical leave for a period. Corcoran commented that the Protocol cluster is entering a new chapter that emphasizes broad collaboration and continued delivery of Glamsterdam, Hegotà, and the Strawmap. Monnot underscored a commitment to making Ethereum’s distinctive features more accessible to users and to participating in a plural approach to how Ethereum gets built.

The leadership changes come as Ethereum’s development cadence remains intense, with multiple upgrade tracks running in parallel. The aim is to ensure that the core protocol remains adaptable to emerging technologies and user needs while maintaining the reliability that large-scale decentralized applications require. Observers will want to watch how this leadership transition influences cross-team coordination and the prioritization of Glamsterdam’s milestones against Hegotà and the quantum-resilience roadmap embedded in Strawmap.

Roadmap momentum: Hegotà and the quantum-ready Strawmap

Glamsterdam is the first major upgrade in Ethereum’s extended roadmap, but it sits within a broader program that includes Hegotà and Strawmap. Hegotà is described as the next major upgrade after Glamsterdam, with planning and scoping already underway. Meanwhile, Strawmap continues to guide Ethereum’s approach to future data management and quantum resistance, ensuring that the network remains prepared for anticipated cryptographic challenges and workload growth. The interop activity in Svalbard underscores a shared effort among developers to validate compatibility across components and to align on a coherent sequence of upgrades that collectively advance Ethereum’s long-term vision.

What remains uncertain—and what readers should monitor closely—is the exact timing and readiness of each milestone, especially as Glamsterdam’s timeline shifts earlier or later depending on testing outcomes, network conditions, and coordination across ecosystems. Investors, developers, and users will want to keep an eye on devnet stability, the pace of Hegotà scoping, and the practical implications of ePBS and EIP-8037 on on-chain data costs and validator operations.

Looking ahead, the Ethereum ecosystem appears intent on balancing aggressive scaling with disciplined governance. Glamsterdam’s rollout, paired with smarter data pricing and a strengthened block-building model, positions Ethereum to absorb higher demand while maintaining robustness. As the Foundation continues to rotate leadership and align cross-team priorities, market watchers should watch for concrete milestones in devnet testing, cross-client interoperability, and the emergence of tangible upgrades that translate into improved user experiences and more scalable infrastructure for decentralized applications.

As the roadmap unfolds, traders and builders should stay tuned for updates on Glamsterdam’s progress, the pacing of Hegotà development, and the ongoing refinement of Strawmap’s quantum-ready framework. The coming quarters will be critical in determining how quickly Ethereum can translate these architectural changes into real-world benefits for developers, protocols, and end users alike.