The beginning of “The Surge” era in Ethereum’s roadmap sees a range of enhancements to scalability, efficiency and security. Here’s a breakdown.
Ethereum Developers Set Timeline for Final ‘Dencun’ Testnet Upgrades
Developers will run through Dencun on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets on Jan. 30 and Feb. 7.
Ethereum Developers Set Timeline for Final ‘Dencun’ Testnet Upgrades
Developers will run through Dencun on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets on Jan. 30 and Feb. 7.
BNB Chain hard fork to improve security and compatibility with EVM chains
Binance’s BNB Chain is set for two upgrades aimed at improving the finality of the network and compatibility with other EVM blockchains.
Optimism network transactions surged 67% following Bedrock upgrade — Nansen
The Optimism layer-2 network saw less than 300,000 transactions per day around the time of the upgrade, but this number increased to over 500,000 afterward.
Ethereum Developers Cement Final Lineup of Changes in ‘Dencun’ Upgrade
Proto-danksharding is at the heart of the package, with other improvements for storage on-chain, as well as minor code changes related to the Ethereum Virtual Machine.
Optimism Completes ‘Bedrock’ Hard Fork, in Pursuit of Superchain
Developers behind the layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum say the upgrade will reduce gas fees and cut deposit confirmation times.
Optimism ‘Bedrock’ Upgrade to Speed Confirmations, Cut Gas Fees, Set Path to ‘Superchain’
The “Bedrock” upgrade will improve the usability of the chain by lowering gas fees and cutting deposit-confirmation times by 90% – pitched as a key step toward the Optimism network’s goal of becoming a “Superchain.”
Dash blockchain down for hours after hard fork fail, devs to try upgrade again June 14
The v19 hard fork didn’t go as planned for the privacy coin, but a fix has been released; v18 had experienced a few kinks, too.
Dash Blockchain Halts, Binance Pool Suspends Mining Rewards
The oldest privacy coin halted after a failed hard fork, the blockchain reportedly split in two
Optimism Layer-2 Is Upgrading: Is This What Bulls Want?
Optimism, one of the most popular Ethereum layer-2 platforms, will release the Bedrock upgrade on June 6, 2023.
Optimism Upgrading Via Bedrock In Early June
The layer-2 provider on Ethereum says the release is “highly anticipated” by the community and will introduce some changes that make the protocol even more scalable, reducing transaction fees.
As it is, Optimism offers an off-chain, general-purpose platform where users can deploy smart contracts and launch decentralized applications (DApps) in a low-cost, highly scalable, and secure environment.
Optimism uses roll-ups and bundles transactions before confirming them on the Ethereum mainnet. This move relieves the mainnet, helping reduce fees by re-routing demand to an off-chain solution.
According to Optimism, Bedrock will be a hard fork. It means validators will have to update to the latest version. Optimism’s documentation reads that “the network will retain the same chain ID, transaction history, and state. The first block of the new network will be the last block of the old network +1.”
These changes that come with the Bedrock hard fork will improve scalability, usability, and security.
For instance, the developer of the layer-2 protocol says there will be better Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) equivalence since, even after the upgrade, Optimism will remain compatible with the base layer, that is, Ethereum. Accordingly, users will continue deploying smart contracts as before the upgrade.
The Bedrock upgrade will introduce a new two-step withdrawal process to the Optimism Mainnet bridge that will improve its security & make exploits much more difficult
One of the architects of two-step withdrawals, @vex_0x, explains howhttps://t.co/qs6Dtsz2nO
— OP Labs (@OPLabsPBC) March 22, 2023
Moreover, Bedrock introduces a new fee structure that makes fees more predictable and efficient. Overly, developers expect transfer or smart contracts deployment fees to drop. Presently, L2fees data shows that simple transfers on Optimism cost $0.30. Meanwhile, swapping tokens will cost $0.45.
On the security angle, Bedrock introduces a 2-step withdrawal process and a more robust sequencer. With a better sequencer, developers hope user funds will be better protected. At the same time, there will be better usability with the introduction of the Optimism Portal, allowing for easy cross-domain messaging.
OP Prices Down 50% From Q1 2023 Highs, Will Bulls Flow Back?
Despite all these changes, it remains to be seen whether OP, the native token of Optimism, will rise. As of writing on May 16, the token is down nearly 50% from February 2023 high. However, considering gains in Q1 2023 formation, the OP uptrend remains.
Still, traders need more signals before committing. In recent days, OP has been trending lower, breaking below the critical support level in early May. Whether OP bears will press on will be seen in the sessions ahead. Even so, what’s clear is that OP prices have been stagnating, finding support at 1.64.
Related Reading: OP Plummets 7% As Optimism Postpones Hardfork
Ahead of the June 6 Bedrock upgrade, OP prices could recover, shaking off the bears of May, and align with the primary trend set in motion in Q1 2023.
Meet ‘Dencun.’ Ethereum Developers Are Already Planning Next Hard Fork
The next major upgrade for the blockchain will include “proto-danksharding,” though developers are still deciding what else to include in the hard fork.
Ethereum whale population drops after Shapella — Will ETH price sink too?
Ethereum’s supply across whale addresses has dropped consistently since March 2020, offset by greater retail interest.
Can Ethereum crack $2K? ETH price inches closer despite new unlocked supply
Ethereum staking withdrawals are gathering momentum but have not been able to cause a major sell-off as many anticipated post-Shapella upgrades.
Ethereum’s Shapella hard fork executed on mainnet
After months of delays, Ethereum validators can finally withdraw their staked Ether and rewards from the Ethereum Mainnet.
When levees break, liquidity flows — Analyzing Ethereum Shapella and liquidity staking derivatives
Volumes from the top five Ethereum staking platforms suggest holders are hedging against the unknown until after ETH withdrawals are enabled.
Everything You Need to Know About Ethereum’s Big Upgrade
After the Shanghai and Capella updates go live, ETH stakers will finally be able to withdraw their tokens. So what does that mean?
Shapella could bring institutional investors to Ethereum despite risks
The latest fork on the “roadmap” shores up the network’s new validation mechanism while finally allowing stakers access to their ETH rewards.
Ethereum core developers set April 12 for Shanghai hard fork
The upgrade will enable staked ETH withdrawals on the Beacon Chain, completing Ethereum’s transition to a PoS consensus.
Ethereum core developers push Shanghai upgrade to early April
The final dress rehearsal for Shanghai has been slated for a Mar. 14 launch, while the real thing will happen a few weeks later.