Ethereum developers have warned that upcoming changes in the network’s Glamsterdam upgrade could cause problems for a small number of existing smart contracts.
The changes are part of two proposals, EIP-8037 and EIP-8038, which will adjust how Ethereum charges gas for creating and accessing blockchain data. The goal is to improve network efficiency and prepare Ethereum for higher capacity in the future.
According to developers, most smart contracts are expected to continue working normally. In cases where issues appear, many can be fixed simply by increasing transaction gas limits.
The biggest risks are for contracts that rely on fixed gas amounts, hardcoded call limits, or functions that make decisions based on the remaining gas available during a transaction. Contracts using Solidity’s older 2,300-gas transfer method may also need updates.
To understand the impact, developers replayed historical Ethereum transactions using the proposed gas rules. While most transactions worked without problems, a small group continued to fail even after gas limits were increased, prompting the warning.
The changes will also affect wallets, RPC providers, indexers, and other infrastructure services. Software that uses old gas assumptions may underestimate transaction costs, which could lead to failed transactions if updates are not made.
The Ethereum Foundation said regular users do not need to take any action. Wallet providers and infrastructure companies are expected to update their systems so gas estimates continue to work correctly.
To help developers prepare, Ethereum has launched the Platåberget test network, where projects can test their applications under the new gas pricing rules. Developers are being encouraged to review their contracts now and make any necessary adjustments before the upgrade reaches the main Ethereum network.
The Glamsterdam upgrade is currently expected to arrive in late 2026, although a final launch date has not yet been confirmed. More testing will take place before the upgrade is activated on the main network.
