Last Night’s Announcement on Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade
Last night (27th), Ethereum developer Terence posted a teaser on social platform X, indicating that the Pectra upgrade is tentatively scheduled to officially launch on the mainnet on April 30. The performance of the third Hoodi testnet has been stable since its release, and the fork was ultimately completed on March 26.
(Background Summary: ETH is hardening! The Pectra, Fusaka, and Glamsterdam upgrade trilogy, where core developers explain Ethereum’s future.)
(Supplementary Background: Arthur Hayes predicts again: Ethereum will break $5000, with SOL subsequently surpassing $300.)
Challenges Faced by the Pectra Upgrade
The most significant upgrade for Ethereum this year, “Pectra,” was officially initiated at the end of last month. However, the Pectra upgrade faced issues on two major testnets, Holesky and Sepolia, leading to delays, making the process quite tumultuous. Finally, last night (27th), Ethereum developer Terence announced on social platform X that the Pectra upgrade is tentatively scheduled to go live on the mainnet on April 30, with only a few minor issues remaining to be addressed:
Pectra is tentatively scheduled to go live on the mainnet on April 30!
Pending minor open questions and full confirmation at the next core dev.
— terence (@terencechain) March 27, 2025
Introduction of the Hoodi Testnet
In response to the issues encountered on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets, Ethereum core developers created a third testnet, Hoodi, in mid-March to better prepare for the Pectra upgrade, which officially launched on March 17. According to a report from CryptoSlate, the Hoodi testnet performed steadily after its release and ultimately completed the fork on March 26. As a result, the Ethereum Foundation has decided to replace Holesky with Hoodi, allowing Holesky to officially retire in September this year.
Will the Pectra Upgrade Strengthen Ethereum?
In summary, the Pectra upgrade is a significant update for the Ethereum network in 2025, integrating both the Prague (execution layer upgrade) and Electra (consensus layer upgrade) components. It aims to enhance Ethereum’s scalability, security, staking efficiency, and user experience, marking another crucial milestone following the Dencun upgrade in 2024.
Further Reading: What to Expect from Ethereum’s Next Upgrade “Pectra”? Staker Relief Mechanisms, Wallet User Experience..
At the same time, it is noted that the performance of Ethereum in this bull market has left the community unsatisfied—lacking upward momentum and experiencing particularly severe declines. Therefore, the Pectra upgrade is seen as a crucial factor that can provide significant support for Ethereum’s price this year. According to CoinGecko, as of the time of writing, ETH is currently priced at $2,010, having dropped 16.2% in the past month and nearly halved by 42.9% over the past year. Whether the Pectra upgrade can reverse Ethereum’s downturn remains to be seen.
Ethereum Core Developers Outlook on ETH Development
Despite facing multiple criticisms from the community regarding its price performance and operational methods, Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko recently reiterated the core development philosophy of Ethereum, which focuses on security and scalability, in an interview. He also detailed the upcoming Pectra upgrade, as well as the future upgrades of Fusaka and Glamsterdam, highlighting how they will lead to significant progress in various aspects such as Layer 1 scaling, Layer 2 infrastructure, account system modernization, and virtual machine performance enhancement.
As a result, some have pointed out that while Ethereum’s upgrade process is relatively slow and cautious, this steady approach ensures the long-term stability and sustainability of the Ethereum network. Whether it can become a solid foundation for the future Web3 world and whether the price of Ethereum can reach the previously anticipated peak of $10,000 remains to be observed.
Further Reading: ETH Hardening! Pectra, Fusaka, Glamsterdam Upgrade Trilogy, Core Developers Discuss Ethereum’s Future
Related Reports
- Is Ethereum Unused? Daily Burn Rate Hits New Low, “Becoming an Inflation Asset,” ETH Active Addresses Hit Six-Month Low
- Is ETH Saved? Ethereum Foundation Considers Shifting Focus “From Research to Investment,” Drawing on Solana’s Successful Model
- The Great Ethereum Exodus: ICO Whales Flee! On-chain Nearing $300 Million Liquidation, Chain Reaction of Liquidations Could Follow?