The upcoming Glamsterdam update will alter the gas model, potentially causing some software to malfunction. This warning was issued by the Ethereum Foundation (EF) on August 17.
Developers believe that wallets, indexers, and fee estimation tools might be affected. They have advised programmers to test their systems in the public Plataberget testnet.
EF highlighted that tools with a "hard-coded maximum gas limit" could cease to function and will require updates.
This issue is linked to EIP-8037, which introduces a new state-gas measurement for operations that create new states. While a standard ETH transfer to an existing address will maintain the cost at 21,000 units, sending coins to a new address will incur additional charges.
Developers have been urged to review smart contracts that assume the 21,000-unit fee covers any ETH transfer, as well as the code calculating fees based solely on gas quantity.
According to Forkcast, the Plataberget testnet was launched on August 13, 2026. The Glamsterdam activation in this testnet is scheduled for August 20. A feedback and client software update phase lasting about a month will precede the mainnet launch, followed by testing on Sepolia and Hoodi.
Source: Forkcast.In August, Buterin identified quantum security and AI as priorities for Ethereum.