Ethereum's next major hard fork — Glamsterdam — combines the Gluegun and Amsterdam upgrades into one significant protocol evolution. Fresh off the successful Pectra upgrade, which introduced smart contract wallets and validator staking improvements, Glamsterdam aims to tackle Ethereum's remaining scalability, decentralization, and MEV challenges.
From Pectra to Glamsterdam: The Upgrade Timeline
Pectra: The Foundation (March 2026)
The Pectra upgrade, activated on mainnet in March 2026, delivered:
- EIP-7702: Smart contract wallet capabilities for all EOA (Externally Owned Account) wallets
- EIP-7251: Increased maximum validator stake from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH
- EIP-7002: Execution layer triggerable validator exits
- EIP-7549: Committee index moved outside attestation for efficiency
- EIP-7685: Improved execution-consensus layer communication
Tip
What This Means for You
Pectra's smart contract wallet upgrade (EIP-7702) means your regular Ethereum wallet can now sponsor gas fees, batch transactions, and set spending limits — features previously only available through separate smart contract wallets like Safe.
Glamsterdam: The Next Leap
Building on Pectra, Glamsterdam introduces structural changes to how Ethereum produces blocks, handles data availability, and manages validators.
Key Glamsterdam Features
1. Enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation (ePBS) — EIP-7732
What it is: Currently, Ethereum uses an external relay system (MEV-Boost) to separate block building from block proposing. ePBS moves this separation into the core protocol.
Current system (MEV-Boost):
Searchers → Builders → Relays → Proposers → Network
- Relays are trusted intermediaries
- Single point of failure
- Centralization risk
After ePBS:
Searchers → Builders → Protocol → Proposers → Network
- No trusted relays needed
- Protocol-level guarantees
- More decentralized
Why it matters:
| Aspect | Before (MEV-Boost) | After (ePBS) |
|---|---|---|
| Trust | Trust relays | Trustless |
| Censorship | Relays can censor | Protocol-level inclusion guarantees |
| Centralization | ~90% through 3 relays | Distributed across protocol |
| Reliability | Relay downtime = fallback to local building | Always available |
| MEV Distribution | Opaque | More transparent |
2. Block-Level Access Lists (BALs) — EIP-7928
What it is: BALs enable Ethereum to preload state data and execute non-conflicting transactions concurrently, moving beyond the current sequential processing model. Block builders include structured lists detailing the specific storage slots each transaction accesses.
Impact on throughput and L2 costs:
- Concurrent transaction execution → higher throughput per block
- Prepares the network for higher gas limits
- Better state synchronization via Snap v2 integration
- Foundation for full Danksharding in future upgrades
Warning
Technical Note
BALs change how block builders structure transactions within blocks. This may require updates to validator and builder software and could temporarily affect network dynamics during the transition period.
3. Validator Quality of Life Improvements
Several EIPs in Glamsterdam focus on making validators' lives easier:
- Improved attestation efficiency: Reduced bandwidth requirements for attestations
- Better slashing conditions: More nuanced slashing that accounts for honest mistakes vs. malicious behavior
- Streamlined exit processes: Building on Pectra's EIP-7002 with additional exit improvements
What Glamsterdam Means for Different Stakeholders
For ETH Holders
Impact on ETH price drivers:
- Scalability narrative: ePBS and BALs strengthen Ethereum's scalability story
- L2 fee reduction: Lower L2 fees → more users → more ETH demand for gas
- Staking improvements: Better validator economics → potentially more ETH staked → reduced supply
- Institutional confidence: Protocol-level MEV handling → more institutional comfort
For L2 Rollups
BALs directly benefit Layer 2 solutions:
- Lower posting costs: More blob space reduces data availability costs
- Higher throughput: More data per block enables more L2 transaction capacity
- Better security: Improved data availability sampling strengthens rollup security guarantees
For Validators
ePBS fundamentally changes the validator experience:
- Simpler operation: No need to run MEV-Boost software
- More predictable rewards: Protocol-level MEV auctions reduce reward variance
- Lower hardware requirements: Block building complexity shifts to specialized builders
- Greater decentralization: Solo validators become more competitive
For DeFi Protocols
- MEV transparency: ePBS makes MEV extraction more transparent and fair
- Reduced sandwich attacks: Better block building rules can mitigate harmful MEV strategies
- Cross-L2 composability: Improved data availability enables better cross-rollup interactions
The Broader Ethereum Roadmap
Glamsterdam fits into Ethereum's multi-year roadmap:
The Merge (2022) → Shanghai (2023) → Dencun (2024) → Pectra (2026) → Glamsterdam (2026/27)
↓
Full Danksharding (future)
Verkle Trees (future)
Single-Slot Finality (future)
Still to Come
- Full Danksharding: Complete data sharding for massive L2 scalability
- Verkle Trees: More efficient state storage and stateless clients
- Single-Slot Finality: Instant transaction finality instead of ~13 minutes
- Max-EB (Max Effective Balance): Further validator consolidation improvements
Competitive Landscape: Ethereum vs. Alternatives
Glamsterdam addresses key criticisms that fuel competition:
| Challenge | Glamsterdam Solution | Competitor Approach |
|---|---|---|
| MEV centralization | ePBS at protocol level | Solana: Jito MEV marketplace |
| L2 costs | BALs for concurrent execution & higher throughput | Sui/Aptos: Monolithic L1 speed |
| Validator complexity | Simplified via ePBS | Cosmos: Application-specific chains |
| Data availability | Enhanced DA sampling | Celestia/Avail: Dedicated DA layers |
Tip
Ethereum's Strategy
Ethereum is betting on a modular architecture: L1 for security and settlement, L2s for execution and user-facing applications. Glamsterdam strengthens this model. Competitors like Solana bet on monolithic speed. Both approaches have merit — diversification across both may be prudent.
How to Prepare
For Developers
- Monitor the Glamsterdam EIP tracker for finalized specifications
- Test applications against Glamsterdam devnets when available
- Plan for ePBS changes if your application interacts with block production
For Investors
- Understand that upgrades often trigger "buy the rumor, sell the news" price action
- Focus on the long-term structural improvements rather than short-term price movement
- Monitor L2 adoption metrics as leading indicators of Glamsterdam's success
For Validators
- Stay updated on client software releases
- Plan hardware capacity for any new requirements
- Prepare to migrate away from MEV-Boost to native ePBS
FAQ
Q: Will Glamsterdam reduce Ethereum gas fees?
A: Glamsterdam primarily reduces L2 fees through increased blob capacity, not L1 gas fees directly. L1 gas fees are determined by demand and gas limits. However, by making L2s cheaper and more attractive, Glamsterdam may indirectly reduce L1 congestion.
Q: Is ePBS the same as PBS?
A: No. PBS (Proposer-Builder Separation) currently exists through external software (MEV-Boost). ePBS (enshrined PBS) moves this functionality into the Ethereum protocol itself, eliminating the need for trusted third-party relays.
Q: Do I need to do anything as an ETH holder?
A: No action required. Hard forks are backward-compatible network upgrades. Your ETH and tokens will automatically be on the upgraded network. No token swaps or migrations needed.
Glamsterdam represents Ethereum's commitment to iterative improvement — each upgrade building on the last to create a more scalable, decentralized, and fair blockchain platform. For investors and builders alike, understanding these protocol-level changes is essential for positioning in the Ethereum ecosystem.
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