TL;DR
- Ethereum is moving closer to deploying Pectra after successfully completing a test on the Hoodi testnet, created to avoid previous failures.
- The upgrade introduces improvements in wallets, validation, and scalability, allowing greater validator participation and rollup optimization.
- Pectra could go live on the mainnet by late April, though its launch may be delayed until May or June depending on test results.
Ethereum is approaching the deployment of the Pectra upgrade on the mainnet after successfully completing a test on the Hoodi testnet.
This evaluation aims to ensure that the introduced changes function smoothly before the final launch, scheduled for the second quarter of the year. Hoodi was created to address issues found in previous tests on Holesky and Sepolia, where configuration errors and synchronization problems affected network stability.
Launched on March 17, Hoodi allowed developers to validate Pectra in a more controlled environment, avoiding the limitations seen in Holesky. Unlike the latter, Hoodi does not suffer from validator exit queue congestion, enabling more precise testing. After Pectra’s activation, the testnet finalized the process in approximately 30 minutes, indicating stable performance. Holesky will be phased out later this year, solidifying Hoodi as the primary environment for these tests.
What Improvements Will Pectra Bring to Ethereum?
Pectra introduces enhancements to crypto wallet user experience and account abstraction through EIP-7702. Additionally, it modifies the validation system by allowing operators to increase their stake from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH via EIP-7251. It also brings scalability improvements to rollups through EIP-7691, raising the maximum blob count to optimize transaction processing.
If no issues arise, developers estimate that the upgrade could be activated on the mainnet approximately 30 days after the Hoodi test, placing its launch in late April. However, a delay until May or June remains possible, as the Ethereum team assesses the test results and the time needed for network participants to adapt to the changes.
