Ethereum Institutional Throws Weight Behind Plan to Cut Block Time

Ethereum Institutional, a non-profit co-founded by former Ethereum Foundation members, is backing a proposal to reduce Ethereum's block time from 12 seconds to 10 seconds. This plan, EIP-8198, aims to make the network significantly faster and is part of the Hegotá upgrade scheduled for 2027.

EIP-8198 targets Ethereum's slot time, which is currently set at 12 seconds. The proposal would trim it to 10 seconds by requiring a one-time client refactor that parameterizes slot timing. This initial reduction is designed as a stepping stone, not a destination.

The support from Ethereum Institutional comes with the argument that improvements in block speed directly enhance Ethereum's appeal to institutional actors and bolster confidence in the platform's usability as core financial infrastructure.