Ethereum testnet goes live with Pectra upgrade as April mainnet launch looms

Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade is already live on Ephemery, a testnet of the blockchain network, in preparation for an April mainnet launch.

On Feb. 13, Tim Beiko, Ethereum Foundation Protocol Support Lead, wrote:

“Ephemery now supports Pectra!”

This confirms a statement from Christine Kim, a Galaxy Digital researcher who revealed on X that Ethereum clients have focused on scheduling key testnet forks to ensure a smooth transition to Pectra.

She stated:

“All client teams said today they are on track to put out final testnet releases in the next 24 hours.”

According to her, the Holesky testnet fork is scheduled for Feb. 24, while Sepolia will follow on March 5. These test deployments serve as critical trial runs, allowing developers to identify and address issues before the mainnet activation.

Barring major setbacks, Pectra’s mainnet deployment is expected approximately 30 days after the Sepolia fork.

Kim noted that developers will finalize the mainnet upgrade date and timestamp only after Pectra is live on Sepolia. If successful, the Pectra upgrade would most likely occur in April.

Faster network upgrades

Meanwhile, Nixo Rokish from the Ethereum Foundation’s protocol support team noted that Ethereum’s core developers advocated for a more frequent upgrade cycle to improve the network’s adaptability.

Nixo said:

“Pretty strong consensus from the Pectra Retrospective post that the people want faster fork cadences… that’s going to mean less dilly-dallying about scope and more aggressively presented opinions.”

This aligns with the views of industry leaders like Paradigm, who have emphasized that Ethereum has the resources and talent needed to implement upgrades faster. The venture capital firm wrote:

“Ethereum has the resources it needs — incredible researchers and engineers eager to build the future. Empowering them with a mandate to move faster, and in parallel, will enable Ethereum to solve problems faster and avoid getting bogged down in premature debates.”

Fusaka

Considering this, it was unsurprising that the developers swiftly turned their attention to Ethereum’s next major upgrade, Fusaka.

Beiko revealed that the developers are reviewing proposed protocol changes, with several high-priority improvements under consideration. The deadline for submitting proposals is set for March 13, allowing the community to weigh in before March 27.

Meanwhile, a proposed timeline sets April 10 as the finalization date for Fusaka’s upgrade scope. By defining Fusaka’s framework early, developers aim to ensure a seamless transition and an efficient implementation process once Pectra is fully deployed.

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