Ethereum Plans Major Upgrades for 2026 Including Glamsterdam Fork

Ethereum is set to undergo major upgrades in 2026 with Glamsterdam and Heze-Bogota hard forks, enhancing scaling and Web3 application, according to reported plans.

These upgrades aim to significantly boost Ethereum’s transaction processing capabilities and privacy features, aligning with broader efforts to enhance the network’s scalability and decentralization.

Glamsterdam Fork to Drive Massive Transaction Speed Boost

PANews reported, citing Cointelegraph, that Ethereum’s Glamsterdam hard fork, slated for mid-2026, aims to incorporate “block access lists” and “built-in proposer-builder separation” (ePBS). This approach plans to shift Ethereum from a single-channel to a multi-channel model, significantly enhancing transaction speeds.

The upcoming upgrades also anticipate expanding Ethereum’s gas cap from the present 60 million to 100 million, or even 200 million by 2026. This scaling effort will enhance Layer 2 protocol’s capability to handle hundreds of thousands of transactions per second.

Market reactions remain speculative as Ethereum prepares for these enhancements with developer focus expected to intensify in upcoming meetings. No major public statements from Ethereum’s core figures, such as Vitalik Buterin, have been made yet.

Ethereum Price and Market Dynamics Amid Upgrade Plans

Did you know? Glamsterdam intends to optimize Ethereum’s transaction processing to potentially reach speeds of up to 10,000 TPS, marking a significant leap from its current capabilities.

Ethereum’s (ETH) price currently stands at $2,923.99, with a market cap of $352.91 billion, as recorded by CoinMarketCap. The cryptocurrency exhibits a 24-hour trading volume of $11.44 billion, despite a recent 0.17% price decrease within the last 24 hours and a 28.20% drop over 60 days.

According to the Coincu research team, these planned Ethereum updates highlight a concerted effort to sustain the blockchain’s competitiveness amid growing global crypto adoption. Strategic enhancements, including potential gas cap modifications and validator roles, indicate a dynamic shift towards supporting vast transaction volumes on Layer 2 networks.

“The naming of Hegota was finalized at the ACDE call on December 18, 2025, highlighting our ongoing focus on iterative upgrades.” — Forklog