Testing on Sepolia shows processing capacity has tripled, yet blocks are utilizing less than half of this new limit.
By Shaurya MalwaOct 8, 2026, 12:23 a.m. EDT2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on Test blocks in Glamsterdam operated at about one-third capacity. (Shaurya Malwa/CoinDesk)SummaryShow- The Glamsterdam upgrade has increased the gas processing limit on Sepolia from approximately 60 million to nearly 200 million to facilitate more transactions.
- Initial test blocks utilized only 26% to 46% of their new capacity during trials, with a voting period achieving 99.97% participation toward finality.
- This upgrade modifies the costs associated with transactions and data access, with the next Hoodi test tentatively scheduled for October 27, although no date for mainnet activation has been established.
Ethereum's recent Glamsterdam upgrade is currently operational on a public test network, expanding Sepolia's gas processing limit over threefold as developers explore enhancements aimed at increasing transaction capacity.
Activated on Tuesday, this upgrade allows developers to test software with non-monetary tokens on Sepolia before it is deployed on Ethereum's main network.
As of early Thursday, blocks were being generated with a gas limit close to 200 million, a significant rise from the previous cap of around 60 million. Gas is a measure of the computational effort required for transaction processing.
On Ethereum's active network, users often find themselves competing for transaction space, which drives fees higher during peak times. A higher gas limit can help reduce this competitive strain by accommodating more transactions.
The Glamsterdam upgrade also alters the gas consumption for various tasks, meaning that the increased budget does not equate to a direct tripling of transaction volume.
CoinDesk's analysis of over 25 consecutive test blocks revealed that they consumed between 52 million and 92 million gas each, representing only 26% to 46% of their available gas limit. None of the blocks operated at full capacity, which would be the scenario that would impose the greatest strain on the network's computers.
In a separate voting session lasting six minutes, all 32 planned blocks were submitted, and 99.97% of eligible stake on the testnet voted for finality, indicating that the network accepted its transaction history as confirmed, according to data from the testing group ethPandaOps' explorer.
Read More: Ethereum's Glamsterdam test gets last-minute fix before major capacity jump
The Glamsterdam upgrade modifies the process by which Ethereum's nodes handle transaction tasks. It introduces a structured handoff between "specialists" who compile transactions and validators who publish blocks, allowing validators additional time to verify transaction calculations.
Additionally, each block now includes a list of accounts and pertinent information related to the transactions it contains. This allows software to pre-fetch data and simultaneously validate unrelated transactions, rather than processing them sequentially.
While accommodating additional transactions increases demands on Ethereum's infrastructure, the upgrade also revises the costs associated with data management and encourages developers to reassess applications that depend on specific gas pricing.
The next public test network, named Hoodi, is tentatively planned for October 27, contingent on the outcomes from Sepolia, and there is currently no set date for activating Ethereum's mainnet.