Ethereum developers have scheduled the activation of the Glamsterdam upgrade on the Sepolia testnet for October 6 at 13:53:36 UTC. Sepolia node operators must update both their execution layer clients and consensus layer clients before activation, according to the Ethereum Foundation.
The Glamsterdam upgrade will introduce changes such as a separation between block builders and validators, block access lists, and modifications to gas pricing. The role of block builders will be integrated into the Ethereum protocol, reducing reliance on external infrastructure. Block access lists will record accounts and storage locations used in each block, while changes to gas pricing will better reflect the actual cost of creating and accessing data on the Ethereum network. Contracts that depend on fixed gas rates or hardcoded limits may require adjustments.
The activation date for the mainnet has not yet been set; however, developers are targeting 2027 for the Hegotá upgrade, which is expected to follow Glamsterdam. Vitalik Buterin, one of the founders of Ethereum, stated that Hegotá could be the last "normal" fork of the network before development shifts to using recursive STARKs, automated formal verification, optimized consensus, and quantum-resistant cryptography. Following the activation of Glamsterdam, Ethereum plans to test the upgrade on targeted testnets, such as Hoodi, which may be activated on October 27.
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