On September 18, the Ethereum Institutional organization endorsed the EIP-8198 Quick Slots proposal promoted by Ethlabs. This initiative aims to shift from a fixed slot duration to a configurable parameter.

Make Ethereum faster.

We support @ethlabs_org's push for faster @ethereum blocks. As more institutional activity moves onchain, improvements like Quick Slots make Ethereum an even more compelling foundation for financial markets. https://t.co/GTBQNuIrBE

— Ethereum Institutional (@ethereuminsti) September 18, 2026

“Ethereum has a chance to become faster, and now is the time to make it happen,” Ethlabs stated.

The EIP-8198 proposal suggests removing the fixed 12-second duration from the client software and allowing for a customizable slot duration. Developers would then be able to gradually reduce this duration in future updates.

The current version of the EIP suggests using eight seconds as a benchmark, but the exact duration will be determined after performance testing. Ethlabs proposes starting with a more conservative duration of 10 seconds.

The organization believes that reducing the slot duration will enhance transaction confirmation times and price updates in on-chain markets, as well as decrease delays for payments and applications. This change affects more than just one parameter; the assumption of a 12-second slot is currently utilized in consensus clients and other components of the Ethereum infrastructure.

EIP-8198 requires developers to replace these fixed values with a system capable of adjusting the slot duration following updates. Gas limits and BLOB object parameters are suggested to be adjusted proportionally to maintain the previous throughput over time.

Shortening the slots will also reduce the time needed for block propagation and verification, along with the gathering of attestations. The authors of the EIP specifically noted the potential increase in computational resource requirements and validator bandwidth.

(Non)Priority EIP

On August 6, Ethlabs officially proposed considering EIP-8198 for Hegota during a meeting of Ethereum's core developers.

We want to make Ethereum faster. https://t.co/veYfeRW8Bg

— Ethlabs (@ethlabs_org) August 6, 2026

On September 7, the Protocol Cluster of the Ethereum Foundation assigned Quick Slots a B-level priority for Hegota. Such EIPs may be considered for inclusion after stabilizing the S and A level proposals, if time allows before the update's composition is finalized.

The engineers at the Ethereum Foundation (EF) outlined four conditions for elevating Quick Slots' priority:

  • a complete specification of protocol changes;
  • a working prototype;
  • a detailed assessment of ecosystem impacts;
  • confirmation of compatibility with the future architecture of decoupled consensus.

The EF noted a difference in evaluations: research teams strongly supported Quick Slots, while the implementation engineers pointed out the cascading changes triggered by a reduction in slot duration.

The Ethlabs team reported that they have begun prototyping, assessing dependencies within the ecosystem, and further refining the specification.

It is worth noting that in February, Ethereum developers presented a roadmap for the protocol's development, which outlines approximately seven planned hard forks through 2029.

In September, the EF identified priority proposals for Hegota, including mandatory ones like FOCIL and Frame Transactions.