Ethereum Network Braces for Epic 3.3x Gas Limit Surge in Anticipation of Glamsterdam
Ethereum is gearing up for its Glamsterdam upgrade, which will significantly increase the gas limit from 60 million to 200 million and introduce L1 scaling improvements. The final testnet, Hoodi, is set to activate before the mainnet launch. Looking ahead, the Hegotá fork in 2027 is anticipated to be a pivotal point before Ethereum embraces more advanced cryptographic technologies.
Ethereum is on the brink of significant advancements with the impending mainnet launch of the Glamsterdam network upgrade, following its activation on the Sepolia testnet on October 6. The final preparatory stage for Glamsterdam is its activation on the Hoodi testnet, which is scheduled for epoch 132,352, slot 4,235,264, corresponding to October 26, 2026, at 17:42:48 UTC. Hoodi is confirmed as the last testnet before Glamsterdam reaches mainnet, according to Ethereum researcher Toni Wahrstätter.
A core component of the Glamsterdam upgrade is a major change to Ethereum's gas limit. The proposed increase will see the gas limit rise from 60 million to 200 million, representing a substantial 3.3-fold increase. This change, which will also activate on Hoodi at the same epoch, aims to allow for greater computation and more transactions within each block, depending on their gas requirements. While 200 million is the immediate target, Wahrstätter suggested that 300 million could be a realistic next step for Ethereum's gas limit in the future, though this is not part of the current Glamsterdam upgrade.
Beyond the gas limit adjustment, Glamsterdam is set to advance Ethereum's Layer 1 (L1) scaling roadmap. Key features include enshrined proposer-builder separation, block-level access lists, and revisions to gas pricing mechanisms. These changes are designed to better reflect the true cost of execution and state growth on the network. The exact mainnet activation time for the Glamsterdam upgrade will be announced once client teams finalize their decisions.
Looking further ahead, preparations are already underway for the Hegotá fork, with a projected launch in 2027. Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin indicated that Hegotá might be the network's last "normal" fork, meaning it will incorporate features and technology that would still be recognizable to someone familiar with Ethereum from 2015. After Hegotá, Ethereum's evolution is expected to involve more radical transformations, including the integration of recursive STARKs, automated formal verification, highly optimized consensus algorithms, and the implementation of quantum-safe technologies. This transition, which began with PeerDAS, marks Ethereum's journey from a traditional blockchain to a more powerful "cryptographic world computer." Ethereum researcher Toni Wahrstätter also noted that 23 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) are under consideration for Hegotá, with FOCIL and Frame Transactions highlighted as two key headliners.