Ethereum core developers gathered in Svalbard, Norway, for a week-long interop event focused on the next major network upgrade, Glamsterdam. Teams from multiple client implementations worked on stabilization, testing, and coordination across execution and consensus layers.
The Ethereum Foundation stated that the event supported upgrade preparation work and confirmed several technical milestones tied to scaling, data management, and block production design.
The foundation also said in its blog post,
“Glamsterdam devnets are now live, and scoping for Hegotà is well underway with FOCIL scheduled for inclusion as a headliner on the CL side.”x
These sessions included cross-team discussions and engineering coordination between outgoing and incoming protocol leadership, with a focus on maintaining continuity during active development cycles.
200 million gas limit floor becomes post-upgrade target
A major milestone from the week included a “credible post-Glamsterdam target” that sets a 200 million gas limit floor. The Ethereum Foundation linked this figure to convergence across several technical changes, including ePBS design work, BAL optimizations, and EIP-8037 repricing outcomes.
This target represents a significant increase compared to Ethereum’s current gas limit of around 60 million. The adjustment reflects long-term scaling goals tied to higher throughput and improved execution efficiency.
The foundation positioned the 200 million figure as a post-upgrade baseline rather than an immediate change, aligning it with the rollout path of Glamsterdam and related infrastructure improvements.
ePBS stabilizes across multi-client devnets
Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS) reached a stabilization phase during the Svalbard interop. Developers tested a multi-client Glamsterdam-devnet where external builder pipelines operated end-to-end across nearly all participating clients.
The Ethereum Foundation stated that ePBS now functions in a more structured configuration that reduces reliance on external relays. The design integrates builder responsibilities directly into protocol rules, which supports more predictable block construction under higher gas limits.
This stage marks a transition from experimental implementation toward coordinated network-wide readiness across clients.
EIP-8037 finalizes state pricing changes
EIP-8037 reached finalization during the same development cycle. The proposal introduces a fixed cost_per_state_byte model and adjusts pricing for state creation and storage operations.
The Ethereum Foundation reported that full repricing numbers were delivered on bal-devnet-6. The update aims to refine how the protocol handles state growth under increasing block capacity.
The change connects directly to concerns about long-term state expansion as Ethereum scales its execution layer. The revised pricing structure introduces clearer economic boundaries for state-related operations.
Early groundwork for Hegotá and account abstraction
Work also progressed on Hegotá, the next major upgrade after Glamsterdam. Developers defined requirements for account abstraction (AA) and completed scoping for FOCIL prototypes.
The foundation stated that FOCIL systems are functional at a prototype level, while the next phase involves a multi-client devnet to test integration across implementations.
This step forms part of a broader “Strawmap” roadmap that focuses on long-term protocol evolution, including resilience, modular design, and future-proofing for cryptographic and scaling demands.
Protocol cluster leadership transition begins
The Ethereum Foundation confirmed a leadership transition within its Protocol cluster. Will Corcoran, Kev Wedderburn, and Fredrik will serve as the new cluster leads.
The foundation said the change follows contributions from outgoing leads Barnabé Monnot, Tim Beiko, and Alex Stokes. Monnot and Beiko will leave the foundation, while Stokes will begin a sabbatical.
The organization stated that Protocol development under the outgoing team supported key milestones, including the Fusaka upgrade in December 2025, which introduced PeerDAS and contributed to gas limit expansion efforts toward the current scaling trajectory.
Will Corcoran has worked on zkVM proving, post-quantum consensus research, and coordination of protocol discussions. Kev Wedderburn leads zkEVM development and focuses on research-driven engineering decisions. Fredrik leads Protocol Security and the Trillion Dollar Security initiative, with cross-cluster responsibilities.
There's a new chapter starting for the Protocol cluster. We're welcoming new leads and coordinators, and continuing our work toward Glamsterdam, Hegotà, and the Strawmap.
— Will Corcoran (@corcoranwill) May 11, 2026
More in the blog below 👇
Immediate focus remains on shipping Glamsterdam
The Ethereum Foundation confirmed that the primary objective remains delivery of Glamsterdam. Development teams continue to run devnets, finalize repricing mechanisms, and validate multi-client coordination.
The foundation also continues preparatory work on Hegotá and Strawmap milestones, with upcoming updates expected from the new protocol leadership group.
Roman Zaika
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