The Ethereum gas limit on the Hoodi testnet is set to increase from 60 million to 200 million when the Glamsterdam upgrade activates on October 26. This change, announced by the Ethereum Foundation, will allow each block to handle more computation, though it does not guarantee faster transaction confirmations or higher throughput. The upgrade introduces several key features, including enshrined proposer-builder separation, block-level access lists, and gas repricing that better reflects execution costs and state growth.
The higher gas limit could accommodate more transactions or complex contract calls, depending on network demand. However, actual throughput will depend on factors like block demand, transaction size, and node processing speeds. The Ethereum Foundation has not yet set a mainnet activation date for Glamsterdam, with Hoodi serving as the final testnet before any potential mainnet launch.
The upgrade also includes changes to manage increased node hardware demands. Block-level access lists will help clients read state and validate transactions in parallel, potentially supporting higher layer-one capacity. Gas repricing aims to adjust costs more accurately based on execution and long-term state growth. Researcher Toni Wahrstätter has suggested 300 million gas as a possible longer-term target, though this is not part of the current Glamsterdam plans.
Client teams will review testnet results to assess execution behavior and node requirements before considering a mainnet deployment. Node operators must ensure their execution and consensus clients are compatible with the new gas limit settings. The next planned fork after Glamsterdam is Hegotá, expected in 2027, which may include proposals like FOCIL and Frame Transactions.