Ethereum Prepares Massive 2026 Network Overhaul – What’s Coming?

The Ethereum Foundation has released its 2026 protocol priorities, outlining a major push to scale the network as it improves usability and security. The roadmap introduces three core tracks: scaling performance, improving user experience, and hardening the base layer. The update signals continued momentum behind faster transactions and a more resilient Ethereum.

At the center of the plan, shared by the team on February 18, is a renewed scaling effort aimed at pushing Ethereum’s gas limit toward and beyond 100 million. 

The Foundation also highlighted ongoing work on proposer-builder separation upgrades, blob scaling for rollups, and a zkEVM attester client designed to strengthen verification infrastructure. Together, these initiatives target higher throughput without sacrificing decentralization.

Bigger Scaling Push Meets Usability Upgrades

The roadmap consolidates previous scaling tracks into a unified “Scale” initiative covering execution, consensus, and data availability. 

This includes raising blob capacity for Layer 2 networks and advancing upgrades tied to upcoming forks such as Glamsterdam. These changes are designed to increase transaction capacity, simultaneously keeping fees manageable as demand grows.

At the same time, Ethereum developers are doubling down on usability. The “Improve UX” track focuses heavily on native account abstraction, aiming to make smart wallets the default experience without relying on complex middleware. 

The team also pointed to ongoing interoperability work, with faster confirmations and smoother cross-chain interactions seen as critical for mainstream adoption.

Security and resilience form the third pillar of the roadmap. A new “Harden the L1” track emphasizes censorship resistance, post-quantum readiness, and stronger network testing infrastructure. 

This includes continued research into censorship metrics, improved test environments, and safeguards to ensure Ethereum retains its core properties even as it scales.

The update positions 2026 as a year of layered evolution. Major upgrades like Glamsterdam are expected to roll out alongside incremental improvements across scaling and security as Ethereum prioritizes higher capacity and better usability amid intensifying competition among smart contract platforms.

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