2026: A Pivotal Year for Ethereum Scalability
(Source: ethereum)
As 2026 draws near, Ethereum’s scaling roadmap is shifting from theoretical planning to practical deployment. The primary focus is no longer just raising the gas limit. Instead, it’s a comprehensive approach that combines parallel processing, zero-knowledge proofs (ZK), and Layer 2 collaboration to boost overall network throughput and efficiency.
The Glamsterdam fork, slated for mid-2026, will be the central milestone in this upgrade cycle. By implementing several foundational protocol changes, Ethereum Layer 1 is preparing to accommodate much larger transaction volumes in the future.
Key Innovations in the Glamsterdam Fork
Ethereum core developers are currently finalizing the EIPs to be included in the Glamsterdam fork. Two confirmed technical upgrades—though highly specialized in terminology—are set to significantly enhance network performance.
Block Access Lists
Historically, Ethereum processed transactions almost sequentially, requiring each transaction to complete in order. Block Access Lists change this by allowing blocks to predefine how transactions affect state, enabling nodes to process multiple transactions in parallel without conflict.
This mechanism lets clients preload required data into memory, minimizing disk access and breaking through existing performance barriers. It sets the stage for near-parallel execution, enabling higher TPS and larger block sizes without the need for immediate, drastic increases to the gas limit.
Native Proposer/Builder Separation (ePBS)
Currently, Ethereum relies on MEV-Boost to separate block proposers and builders outside the protocol, which still depends on centralized relays. ePBS aims to move this separation directly into the consensus layer, creating a more trustless and decentralized system.
From a scalability perspective, ePBS’s main advantage is increased time flexibility for validators. Validators gain more time to receive and verify ZK proofs, reducing the risk of penalties from delays and making ZK verification on Layer 1 more practical. Ethereum researchers anticipate that as ePBS rolls out, more validators will adopt ZK verification, paving the way for future gas limit increases.
Gas Limit Upgrades and Layer 2 Blob Expansion
The Ethereum Layer 1 gas limit has already increased to 60 million, with further headroom for additional raises in 2026. While core developers have varying views on the exact figures, there’s broad agreement that the gas limit will continue to climb in 2026, in tandem with delayed execution and ZK technology improvements.
On the Layer 2 front, scaling efforts focus on increasing the number of data blobs. A substantial rise in blob capacity will let rollups handle far more transactions per block, with overall L2 throughput potentially reaching hundreds of thousands of TPS. Meanwhile, some L2 networks are rolling out technical upgrades that let users enjoy fast execution environments without moving assets off the Ethereum mainnet.
Heze-Bogota: The Second Fork in Late 2026
Besides Glamsterdam, the Heze-Bogota fork is expected by year-end 2026. Current discussions focus on Fork-Choice Inclusion Lists (FOCIL), which are designed not for scalability but to strengthen censorship resistance. By enabling multiple validators to require specific transactions in a block, FOCIL ensures that even if some nodes are uncooperative, transactions can still be processed. This innovation continues Ethereum’s long-standing commitment to decentralization and anti-censorship principles.
To explore more about Web3, register at: https://www.gate.com/
Conclusion
For Ethereum, 2026 is more than a year of performance improvements—it’s a turning point as the protocol shifts toward parallelization, ZK integration, and modularity. From Glamsterdam to Heze-Bogota, every upgrade aims to enable Ethereum to support large-scale on-chain economic activity while maintaining decentralization and security. With coordinated Layer 1 and Layer 2 advancements, Ethereum is laying the groundwork for the next decade of growth.
