Ethereum in 2026: Major Upgrades to Boost Speed and Efficiency

Ethereum is set to roll out two major hard forks in 2026 to make the network faster, more efficient, and harder to censor. 

These upgrades, Glamsterdam and Heze-Bogota, could set Ethereum on the path to handling 10,000 transactions per second on Layer 1 and enabling Layer 2 networks to process hundreds of thousands per second.

Why 2026 Is a Big Year for Ethereum

The focus will be on parallel execution, higher gas limits, and the introduction of zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs at the validator level. These changes will help Ethereum run more efficiently and reduce slowdowns. 

By the end of the year, about 10% of validators may have switched to verifying ZK proofs instead of redoing every transaction. This is a key step toward long-term scaling.

The Glamsterdam Fork

Scheduled for mid-2026, the Glamsterdam fork will enable Ethereum to process multiple transactions simultaneously rather than one by one. Key upgrades include:

Block Access Lists: These lists show exactly which parts of Ethereum’s data each transaction will use. This allows multiple transactions to be executed safely in parallel using multiple CPU cores, boosting throughput without massive gas limit increases.

Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS): ePBS integrates a method for separating block proposers from block builders directly into Ethereum’s protocol. 

This reduces centralization risks, improves censorship resistance, and supports ZK-based validation. Validators can now generate and check ZK proofs without being penalized for taking extra time.

Gas limits are also expected to increase in stages, potentially reaching 200 million per block after ePBS is active.

Layer-2 Scaling on Ethereum

In 2026, Ethereum’s upgrades won’t just speed up Layer 1; they will also enhance Layer 2 networks. The number of data blobs per block could rise to 72 or more. This will give L2s much more data to work with and enabling them to handle hundreds of thousands of transactions per second.

Usability is improving as well. Designs like ZKsync’s Elastic Network let users keep funds on Ethereum while taking advantage of faster L2 systems. Additionally, a new Ethereum Interoperability Layer will make it easier to move activity seamlessly between different L2s.

Heze-Bogota Fork: Stronger Censorship Resistance

The Heze-Bogota fork, scheduled for late 2026, focuses on making Ethereum more resistant to censorship. A key feature is Fork-Choice Inclusion Lists, which allow groups of validators to ensure certain transactions are included in blocks. 

This helps prevent transactions from being blocked as long as part of the network remains honest, reinforcing Ethereum’s core principles of neutrality and permissionless access.

Ethereum’s 2026 Outlook

Ultimately, with Glamsterdam and Heze-Bogota, Ethereum is laying the foundation for a faster, more scalable, and censorship-resistant network. While it may not reach 10,000 TPS immediately, 2026 will set the technical groundwork for that goal. Layer-2 networks will also see major speed improvements, and the network will become more decentralized and robust.