With Ethereum's Pectra upgrade successfully launching on May 7, 2025, developers have immediately shifted focus to the next major milestone: Fusaka. This upcoming upgrade aims to dramatically expand Ethereum's data capacity while laying groundwork for even more ambitious changes that could transform how the network operates.
Vitalik Buterin has made his priorities clear, stating developers should get "a Fusaka testnet with these blob parameters running the day after Pectra goes live." Understanding what comes next helps Ethereum investors and users prepare for significant changes that could affect everything from transaction costs to network accessibility.
Fusaka: The Next Major Milestone
Fusaka, combining the codenames "Fulu" and "Osaka," represents Ethereum's next major upgrade targeted for late 2025. While timelines often shift in Ethereum development, the scope remains focused on three core improvements that address current network limitations.
Massive Data Capacity Expansion
The centerpiece of Fusaka is increasing blob capacity from 6 to 48 blobs per block—an 8x improvement that could drive Layer 2 transaction fees below $0.01.
| Metric | Current (Post-Pectra) | Future (Post-Fusaka) |
|---|---|---|
| Blob Capacity | 6 blobs per block | 48 blobs per block |
| L2 Transaction Fees | $0.05-$0.20 | Under $0.01 |
| Fee Reduction | Baseline | ~95% decrease |
This expansion addresses a real bottleneck. Layer 2 networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base now process 3-5x more transactions than Ethereum mainnet. More blob space means these networks can scale dramatically while maintaining security through Ethereum's base layer.
The technical challenge involves ensuring Ethereum's peer-to-peer network can handle increased data loads without compromising decentralization or requiring massive hardware upgrades for node operators.
PeerDAS: Revolutionary Data Availability
PeerDAS (Peer Data Availability Sampling) fundamentally changes how Ethereum nodes handle data. Instead of every node downloading complete block data, PeerDAS enables nodes to download only small portions while using cryptographic proofs to verify the complete dataset exists.
Why This Matters:
- Dramatically reduced bandwidth requirements for node operators
- Lower barriers to running Ethereum nodes
- Support for much larger blocks without forcing massive downloads
- Maintained security through distributed verification
The innovation enables Ethereum to support the planned 48-blob capacity without requiring every participant to handle enormous data loads. Nodes can verify data availability without storing everything locally, making network participation more accessible.
The EOF Controversy
EVM Object Format (EOF) was originally planned for Fusaka but faced developer opposition due to complexity concerns. The Geth team argued the timeline was too aggressive for such a fundamental change to Ethereum's bytecode format.
Developers ultimately removed EOF from Fusaka to avoid delays, though it may appear in later upgrades. This decision reflects Ethereum's careful approach to major changes, prioritizing stability over rapid feature deployment.
The Bigger Picture: Vitalik's Long-Term Vision
Ethereum's roadmap extends far beyond Fusaka, with Vitalik outlining a multi-stage evolution toward what he calls "The Verge," "The Purge," and "The Splurge." Each stage addresses fundamental limitations that currently constrain the network.
Verkle Trees and Statelessness
One of the most significant upcoming changes involves transitioning from Merkle trees to Verkle trees, enabling "stateless" clients that can verify blocks without storing Ethereum's entire state.
What Stateless Clients Enable:
- Validators operating with near-zero storage requirements
- Almost instant node synchronization
- Dramatically reduced hardware barriers for participation
- Better solo staking accessibility
Stateless clients would receive cryptographic proofs with each block, allowing verification without maintaining local state copies. Vitalik has emphasized that Verkle trees will create "far better solo staking UX" by eliminating storage requirements that currently deter individual validators.
Implementation requires significant protocol changes but could transform Ethereum's accessibility for regular users wanting to run their own nodes.
State Expiry: Managing Long-Term Growth
Ethereum's state continues growing as more applications launch and users interact with smart contracts. Current full nodes require over 1TB of storage, creating barriers that worsen over time.
The State Expiry Solution:
- Organize Ethereum's history into yearly periods
- Gradually expire older, unused state data
- Maintain security through cryptographic commitments
- Prevent unlimited state growth
Combined with statelessness, state expiry could dramatically reduce node requirements while maintaining Ethereum's security properties. The approach balances accessibility with the need to preserve essential network data.
Timeline and Implementation Challenges
Ethereum development typically takes longer than initial estimates, with Pectra itself facing multiple delays before its May 2025 launch. Fusaka currently targets late 2025, but this timeline depends on successful testing and community consensus.
Development Process
All Core Developers calls determine upgrade scope through collaborative discussion rather than centralized planning. This democratic approach ensures broad support but can slow decision-making when developers disagree on priorities or implementation details.
Tim Beiko initially proposed freezing Fusaka's scope when Pectra launched, but developer pushback led to extended timeline discussions. The community must balance innovation speed with network stability, especially given Ethereum's role as infrastructure for billions in assets.
Testing phases include multiple devnet deployments, testnet launches on Holesky and Sepolia, and extensive simulation of different network conditions. Each upgrade requires months of testing before mainnet deployment.
The Glamsterdam Mystery
Beyond Fusaka, developers reference a tentatively named "Glamsterdam" upgrade, possibly combining "Gamma" and "Amsterdam" codenames. This upgrade would likely focus on sharding or advanced statelessness features, though specific details remain speculative.
Ethereum's naming convention combines city names from developer conferences with technical terms, creating a roadmap that extends several years into the future while maintaining flexibility for emerging priorities.
Impact on Users and Traders
These upgrades directly affect anyone using Ethereum or trading ETH by changing fundamental network economics and capabilities.
Transaction Cost Evolution
Layer 2 fees could drop to negligible levels with Fusaka's blob expansion, making micro-transactions economically viable and enabling new application categories.
Fee Impact Breakdown:
- Mainnet transactions: May become more expensive relative to L2s
- Layer 2 usage: Accelerated adoption for daily activities
- New applications: Micro-payments and frequent interactions become viable
- Overall trend: Ethereum becomes primarily a settlement layer
Staking and Validation Changes
Verkle trees and statelessness could dramatically improve solo staking accessibility by eliminating storage requirements. This might reduce centralization pressures from large staking services while making ETH staking more attractive to individual investors.
Reduced hardware requirements could increase validator diversity, strengthening network security and decentralization. However, these benefits depend on successful implementation without compromising existing security guarantees.
Trading Implications and Market Impact
For traders monitoring ETH price movements, understanding these technical developments provides insight into long-term value drivers beyond short-term speculation.
Network improvements typically create positive sentiment around Ethereum's future, though immediate price impacts often depend more on successful implementation than announcements. The recent Pectra upgrade demonstrated this pattern, with market reaction remaining muted despite technical success.
However, meaningful fee reductions and accessibility improvements could drive increased network usage, potentially affecting ETH's utility value and long-term demand. Reduced barriers to participation might also influence staking economics and reward distribution.
Preparing for Ethereum's Evolution
Ethereum's roadmap represents a multi-year transformation toward highly scalable, accessible infrastructure. The network's careful, research-driven approach prioritizes long-term stability over rapid iteration, reflecting its role as critical infrastructure for the broader crypto ecosystem.
Whether you're trading ETH, building applications, or using Ethereum-based services, these upgrades will gradually reshape your experience over the coming years. Understanding these changes helps inform investment decisions and technical choices as Ethereum evolves beyond current limitations.
Ready to explore Ethereum trading opportunities while staying informed about network developments? Start trading ETH spot or ETH futures on LeveX with competitive fees and comprehensive market access. For deeper understanding of Ethereum's current capabilities, read our complete Ethereum guide or explore related network improvements in our Layer 2 solutions overview.