Ethereum is planning its Glamsterdam upgrade for the second half of 2026, combining the Gloas consensus and Amsterdam execution upgrades. Key changes include Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS) via EIP-7732, Block-Level Access Lists (BALs) for parallel transaction processing, and EIP-8037 to control state growth. Node operators must update clients, while ether holders require no action.
Glamsterdam upgrade timeline
- ▪The Ethereum Glamsterdam upgrade combines the consensus-layer upgrade Gloas, named after a star, and the execution-layer upgrade Amsterdam, named after a former Devconnect host city.
- ▪In May 2026, the Ethereum Foundation tested the external-builder pipeline across nearly all clients on a multi-client devnet and aligned on a post-Glamsterdam gas-limit target of 200 million.
- ▪The Ethereum Glamsterdam upgrade is planned for the second half of 2026, with developers working toward a fourth-quarter target.
ePBS block production mechanism
- ▪EIP-7732 proposes moving the external-builder pipeline into Ethereum's consensus rules under Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS).
- ▪Under Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS), a Payload Timeliness Committee checks if the builder revealed the payload on time and if the related blob data is available.
Block-level access lists
- ▪EIP-8159 is scheduled to provide the network method for Ethereum clients to exchange Block-Level Access Lists (BALs).
- ▪EIP-7928 is scheduled to introduce Block-Level Access Lists (BALs) to record the accounts and storage locations used in an Ethereum block.
Parallel transaction processing
- ▪Block-Level Access Lists (BALs) are designed to help Ethereum clients identify independent transactions to run database reads, transaction validation, and state-root calculations in parallel.
- ▪Block-Level Access Lists (BALs) could support executionless state updates, allowing syncing nodes to read recorded results instead of replaying every transaction.
State growth control proposals
- ▪EIP-8037 proposes a fixed cost for each new byte of state to target an average state growth of 120 GiB a year at a reference block gas limit of 150 million.
- ▪EIP-8038, which is considered but not scheduled, proposes higher charges for reading and changing Ethereum's existing state to match fees with node workloads.
Client preparation requirements
- ▪Ethereum holders do not need to swap, convert, or upgrade their coins, and their balances will remain accessible after the Glamsterdam fork.
- ▪Node operators and validators must update both execution and consensus clients to follow the upgraded Ethereum chain after the Glamsterdam fork.
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