Ethereum developers have announced a target launch date of May 7 for the highly anticipated Pectra upgrade, marking the commencement of significant transformations for the blockchain since March 2024.
The Pectra update incorporates a variety of enhancements designed to improve the usability and efficiency of Ethereum. Notably, it will introduce “smart contract” functionalities to wallets, simplifying their usability and recovery processes.
The timing for Pectra’s rollout was determined during a meeting among Ethereum’s core developers—taking place just over a week after successful implementation on the Hoodi testnet, which proceeded smoothly. This test was the third and final rehearsal of the upgrade, following two prior tests that encountered bugs, causing a delay in the upgrade to Ethereum’s mainnet.
Pectra encapsulates 11 significant code modifications, known as “Ethereum improvement proposals” (EIPs), which will be implemented simultaneously. These features aim to enhance the staking experience, add new wallet functionalities, and upgrade the broader network.
A key change within Pectra, beneficial to Ethereum validators, is EIP-7251, which will expand the staking limit from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH. This adjustment is intended to streamline the process for those staking across multiple validators, allowing for consolidation under a single node.
Read more: Ethereum’s Final Pectra Test Goes Live on Hoodi Network