Ethereum Glamsterdam upgrade moves towards 200 million gas border roadmap
TL;DR
- Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade is moving through devnet planning ahead of an expected mainnet window in the second half of 2026.
- EIP-7732, or the built-in separation between offeror and originator, is one of the key parts that developers are tracking.
- EIP-7928, which covers block-level access lists, is another key component associated with parallel execution and higher throughput.
- The main goal is the path towards a much higher gas cap, but the exact mainnet stack remains subject to Ethereum’s normal testing and management process.
Glamsterdam moves into focus
EthereumThe next major upgrade cycle is now heading towards Glamsterdam, a protocol stack that is expected to define the network’s post-Pectra expansion roadmap and block production. The upgrade is being closely watched because it touches on two of Ethereum’s biggest long-standing constraints: who builds blocks, and how much execution capacity the underlying layer can safely support.
Developer materials and EIP discussions point to separation of bidders and creators and block-level access lists as two of the most important elements in the Glamsterdam conversation. Together they help define a long-term path toward higher throughput without requiring each node operator to absorb more load without making architectural changes.
What is ePBS trying to fix?
EIP-7732, often described as a sacred separation between offeror and creator, will move a portion of the existing external block building market to the Ethereum protocol design. Today, block building often relies on external relay infrastructure and specialized actors. This system has helped the network manage the maximum extractable value, but it has also raised concerns about centralization and censorship pressures.
By bringing the separation between proposer and creator closer to the protocol layer, Ethereum developers are trying to reduce reliance on extra-protocol arrangements and create a cleaner separation between validators who propose blocks and constructors who assemble them. It’s a technical change, but it also speaks directly to Ethereum’s decentralization goals.
Why are block-level access lists important?
EIP-7928, which covers block-level access lists, aims to make implementation more predictable by defining state access patterns at the block level. In plain English, auditors and clients can get better information about what a block should touch before it is processed. This is important because parallel execution is difficult when the system does not know which transactions are likely to conflict.
If block-level access lists work as intended, they can help Ethereum handle more activity without turning each block into a heavier and less predictable burden for nodes. This is why the proposal is often discussed alongside gas cap targets and Tier 1 expansion.
Gas limit 200 meters is the big headline
The most interesting part of Glamsterdam’s narrative is the potential path towards the 200 million gas limit. This would be a significant increase over the current base layer capacity and would represent a completely different model for Ethereum L1 if it could be achieved safely. But the wording is important: this is a roadmap and a testing goal, not a guarantee that every detail is locked to the mainnet exactly as discussed in existing devnet materials.
Ethereum upgrades typically go through a long process of specifications, client implementation, upgraded networks, testnets, and final coordination. This process is slow by design. Glamsterdam is important because it shows that the network is still trying to scale the base layer itself, not just push activity into it groups. The danger is that increasing aggressive capacity without careful client and node work could weaken the decentralization properties that Ethereum is trying to protect.
This article was written by the News Desk and edited by Samuel Ray.
