Ethereum developers have taken a major step toward launching the network’s next upgrade, known as Glamsterdam, by moving it into its final development phase.
The latest stage involves private developer test networks, where teams are testing the complete package of planned Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) before the upgrade moves to public testnets.
According to Ethereum Foundation developer Parithosh Jayanthi, developers are currently running test environments that include all the features expected to be part of the Glamsterdam upgrade. This phase allows teams to identify potential issues and make improvements before the software is released to a wider audience.
While no official launch date has been set, developers say significant progress has been made. The upgrade is still expected to arrive sometime in the second half of 2026, depending on testing results and software readiness.
One of the biggest changes in Glamsterdam is the introduction of Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS), known as EIP-7732. This feature brings the block-building process directly into Ethereum’s core protocol, reducing reliance on third-party systems and making the network more transparent.
The upgrade is also designed to address concerns related to Maximum Extractable Value (MEV), a practice where transaction ordering can be manipulated for profit, sometimes at the expense of regular users.
Another important feature is Block-Level Access Lists (BALs), introduced through EIP-7928. These lists allow each block to indicate in advance which accounts and smart contract data will be accessed. This gives network participants a clearer view of upcoming transactions and helps improve processing efficiency.
By knowing what data will be needed ahead of time, Ethereum nodes can prepare more effectively, potentially allowing transactions to be processed faster and more efficiently.
Glamsterdam will also introduce changes to Ethereum’s gas pricing system. Under the new model, computational tasks are expected to become cheaper, while storing data permanently on the blockchain will become more expensive.
Developers believe this adjustment will better reflect the actual resources used by different operations on the network and encourage more efficient use of blockchain storage.
Unlike some previous upgrades that focused mainly on scaling and validator improvements, Glamsterdam makes deeper changes to how Ethereum processes transactions and builds blocks.
For everyday Ethereum users, the upgrade is expected to happen behind the scenes and should not require any action regarding wallets or balances. However, validators and node operators will need to update their software before the upgrade goes live on the main network.
Jayanthi described Glamsterdam as potentially the biggest Ethereum upgrade since the historic Merge, highlighting the scale of the changes being introduced.
If testing continues to go smoothly, the next step will be public testnet deployments, followed by the announcement of an official mainnet launch schedule.
