BNB Chain Activates Maxwell HardFork on Its Testnet at Block Height 52552978

This upgrade introduces shorter block times, improved scalability, and more efficient network operations. The upgrade is expected to support ongoing ecosystem expansion and attract developer testing

In a significant development, BNB Chain has activated the Maxwell HardFork on its testnet at block height 5,255,2978. This upgrade introduces shorter block times, improving scalability and optimising network operations for efficient transaction processing.

The upgrade, which began testing on Sunday, will focus on faster block production, aiming to reduce block time to 0.75 seconds. In addition, it will support 16 consecutive block productions by the same validator, helping to streamline transaction processing.

These updates are focused on increasing throughput and reducing network congestion. With improved scalability, BNB Chain is positioning itself for broader adoption across different sectors, including DeFi, GameFi, and enterprise blockchain services.

Developers and validators have been encouraged to begin testing the new features and tools introduced with the hard fork.

Binance Chain stated in an official post, “The Maxwell upgrade is now live on BNB Chain testnet,” inviting ecosystem participants to engage in early testing. Former Binance CEO CZ commented on X, saying, “Lower fees, Faster, coming soon”.

The upgrade follows a week of strong transaction growth for BNB Chain, with on-chain data from analytics firm Nansen reporting a 49% increase in transaction activity. This was the highest among major blockchains.

The increased usage puts BNB Chain ahead of Aptos, NEAR Protocol, Stellar, and Sonic Labs in terms of transaction growth percentage.

Decentralized exchange protocols on BNB Chain saw more than $100 billion in transactions over the last 30 days. In comparison, Ethereum recorded $67 billion, while Solana posted $97 billion during the same period.

Concurrently, asset management firm VanEck has launched its tokenized U.S. Treasury fund, VBILL, on the Binance Chain. The fund is designed to provide institutional investors with direct exposure to U.S. Treasury bonds.

Moreover, Binance Chain continues to attract new stablecoins and assets. The USD1 stablecoin from World Liberty Finance has expanded its integrations across exchanges and wallets, which has added to liquidity and utility on the chain.

Crypto analyst Cryptorand says that BNB’s price has been trading higher and was valued at $660 on Sunday. This marks a 13% increase from the lowest point this month. However, the price still remains just below the monthly high of $692.

Analysts have noted that BNB price recently broke above a long-term descending trendline, which had acted as resistance since December 2024.

The BNB price key support level remains in the $600–$620 range. This zone previously served as a consolidation point and has now provided a foundation for upward movement.

On the resistance side, the $690–$730 area is seen as a strong barrier which was also the peak in December 2024.

Short-term support is being monitored at $660. A successful hold at this level could enable BNB to retest the $720 zone. However, a drop below $660 may prompt a pullback toward $620.

If BNB price falls below $600, analysts warn it may reach support near $515–$530, which held during the March 2025 correction.