Ethereum’s next major network upgrade, Fusaka, is officially live on Hoodi, the blockchain’s final testnet, marking the last step before its mainnet deployment scheduled for December 3, 2025. The upgrade represents another major milestone in Ethereum’s long-term roadmap to enhance scalability, efficiency, and security.
The Fusaka fork follows a series of successful testnet implementations and aims to improve validator performance while reducing the computational load on nodes. According to Ethereum client developer Nethermind, the rollout on Hoodi proceeded seamlessly, signaling readiness for mainnet activation.
“Another smooth upgrade, another key milestone on the road to Fusaka,” Nethermind stated in a post on X, confirming its validator client’s successful completion of the fork.
What the Fusaka Upgrade Brings to Ethereum
Fusaka introduces several Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), with the highlight being EIP-7594, also known as Peer Data Availability Sampling (PeerDAS). This feature enables validators to access smaller pieces of data from layer-2 networks instead of downloading entire data blobs. As a result, node efficiency improves dramatically, reducing storage and bandwidth requirements while maintaining high levels of data integrity.
In addition to PeerDAS, the update incorporates EIP-7825 and EIP-7935, both designed to optimize gas usage and raise the gas limit, paving the way for parallel execution — a long-awaited feature that will allow multiple smart contracts to be processed simultaneously.
The upgrade also brings enhancements aimed at supporting zero-knowledge rollups (ZK-rollups), a core technology behind Ethereum’s scaling efforts. These improvements will strengthen Ethereum’s position as the leading smart contract platform capable of handling increasing on-chain activity without compromising performance or decentralization.
A Three-Stage Rollout Process
The Fusaka fork will be rolled out in three distinct stages to ensure a smooth transition and network stability.
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Mainnet Activation: The first stage involves the deployment of the Fusaka fork on Ethereum’s mainnet. This foundational step enables validators and node operators to transition to the new protocol.
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Blob Capacity Increase: The second stage will activate the EIP responsible for increasing blob capacity, a crucial factor in improving data throughput and reducing congestion across layer-2 solutions.
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Second Blob Capacity Hard Fork: The final stage will further enhance blob capacity and optimize network efficiency, ensuring Ethereum can accommodate future growth in DeFi, NFTs, and decentralized applications.
This phased approach allows developers to monitor each implementation step, minimizing risks of network disruptions while ensuring backward compatibility.
Ethereum Foundation Faces Leadership Changes
Fusaka’s technical progress comes amid organizational changes at the Ethereum Foundation, where several high-profile contributors have recently departed, raising questions about the network’s governance and direction. Some former members have criticized the foundation’s internal structure, suggesting that decision-making could become more centralized as Ethereum continues to evolve.
Despite these challenges, the broader Ethereum community remains focused on technological advancement. The Fusaka upgrade is seen as a reaffirmation of Ethereum’s commitment to innovation, scalability, and long-term sustainability.
Ether Price Hits New Highs Ahead of Fusaka
The anticipation surrounding Fusaka has coincided with strong price momentum for Ether (ETH), which recently climbed above $4,000, marking a new high for the year. Analysts attribute this rise to growing inflows into Ethereum-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and increased corporate adoption of ETH as a treasury asset.
Market sentiment remains positive as institutional investors continue to view Ethereum as a key pillar of the digital asset ecosystem. The combination of network upgrades, real-world adoption, and increasing scalability makes ETH one of the most watched assets heading into 2026.
What Comes After Fusaka: The Glamsterdam Upgrade
Following the successful rollout of Fusaka, Ethereum’s next milestone will be the Glamsterdam upgrade, part of the broader “Surge” phase of Ethereum’s technical roadmap. The Surge focuses on enhancing transaction throughput and scalability while maintaining security and decentralization — the three pillars of what Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin calls the “blockchain trilemma.”
While Ethereum has historically prioritized decentralization and security, Fusaka and Glamsterdam aim to improve scalability to help Ethereum compete with faster networks such as Solana and Sui. These upgrades will ensure Ethereum remains the backbone for decentralized applications even as competition intensifies across the blockchain space.
Final Thoughts
The Fusaka fork marks one of Ethereum’s most significant technical milestones since the Pectra upgrade six months ago, which improved staking performance and wallet usability. By introducing advanced scalability mechanisms like PeerDAS and paving the way for parallel execution, Fusaka positions Ethereum for long-term efficiency and growth.
As the December 3 mainnet start approaches, all eyes will be on how Ethereum executes this critical update — one that could define its next era of dominance in decentralized finance and blockchain innovation.
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