What was announced
The Glamsterdam network upgrade, which includes enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS) and block-level access lists (BALs), among other features, will be activated on the Hoodi testnet at epoch 132,352, slot 4,235,264 (October 26, 2026, 17:42:48 UTC). This upgrade aims to enhance Ethereum's Layer 1 scaling capabilities by improving block production and validation processes. Additionally, the gas limit on Hoodi will be raised to 200M at this epoch.
Why developers should care
Developers need to prepare for changes in how blocks are produced and validated due to ePBS and BALs. These features separate proposer and builder roles and introduce more efficient state validation methods, respectively. Developers must also test their contracts against new gas pricing rules outlined by EIP-8037 and EIP-8038, which adjust the cost of creating state and accessing it during transactions.
What to check next
Developers should review the Glamsterdam repricing impact guide for guidance on testing affected contracts. They must ensure their applications are compatible with new gas estimation rules and that hardcoded limits or assumptions about remaining gas do not cause issues. Additionally, node operators need to update both execution and consensus layer clients before the activation date to avoid disruptions.
Source and next steps
Official Ethereum Foundation announcement. Published 2026-10-16; checked 2026-10-20.
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