BNB Chain Launches Maxwell Hard Fork on Testnet, Reducing Block Time From 1.5 Seconds to 0.75 Seconds

BNB Chain launched the Maxwell Hard Fork on its testnet on May 27, 2025, reducing block time from 1.5 seconds to 0.75 seconds.

BNB Chain testnet has completed the integration of the Maxwell Hard Fork, reducing the block time from 1.5 seconds to 0.75 seconds. The testnet upgrade took place at block height 5,255,2978.

The BNB Chain upgrade will go live on the mainnet on June 30.

The testnet upgrade attests to the integration of the new triple-step sync and range synchronization tools. These additions aim to lower latency while keeping validator sync stable even with blocks arriving twice as fast.

The goal was to improve transaction speed without harming decentralization or validator coordination.

The new structure also includes major changes in how the network handles block production and synchronization.

Epoch Length Increased From 500 to 1,000 Blocks

The epoch length increased from 500 to 1,000 blocks, giving validators more time to adjust and sync smoothly.

Each validator now produces blocks for 16 turns in a row. This setup allows block cadence to stay consistent.

In parallel, the per-block gas limit was cut from 70 million to 35 million. This change keeps the total network output balanced, limiting congestion and reducing risk of state overload.

The BNB Chain upgrade also brings faster block propagation. Validators now receive blocks within 400 milliseconds. This helps avoid delays between nodes and reduces sync lag.

The synchronization ranges were also expanded to enable faster recovery for slow or offline nodes.

These sync tools work together with the new block time to ensure all validators stay aligned, avoiding risks tied to skipped blocks or forks.

With these changes, finality on the BNB Chain is now close to 1.9 seconds, pushing the network closer to performance goals seen on Solana and parts of Ethereum.

Because the BNB Chain remains EVM compatible, developers do not need to rewrite code. Apps built for Ethereum can also work on BNB Chain without changes.

This also allows real-time apps like swaps, games, and predictions to operate directly on Layer-1, without relying on additional speed layers.

Chainspect data shows the BNB Chain now processes 12 times more transactions per second than Ethereum. It also reports a 37% rise in TPS after the Maxwell Hard Fork testnet launch.

However, BNB Chain still trails Ethereum on two metrics. It is 87.5% slower in block time and 99.21% behind in finality compared to Ethereum.

Still, in terms of DEX usage, BNB Chain remains ahead. DefiLlama data shows BNB Chain hit $13 billion in daily DEX trading volume, around six times more than Solana.

Elja Cites Lorentz Gains Ahead of Maxwell RolloutDeFi analyst Elja referenced the previous Lorentz Hard Fork, which had cut gas fees by 10x and increased transactions per second. Elja posted on X that Maxwell Hard Fork would improve those metrics further.

“Lorentz Hardfork resulted in 10x gas fees reduction and increased TPS. The upcoming Maxwell Hardfork will be even more bullish for BNBChain,” Elja wrote.

One user said that Maxwell may fix previous transaction failures during wallet sales, which they had experienced on the network earlier.

BNB Price Holds Steady Despite Maxwell Hard Fork Testnet LaunchOn May 27, BNB/USDT rose to $682.81, showing a 0.26% increase from the previous hourly candle, which closed at $674.08.

Earlier in the day, the price showed minimal reaction to the BNB Chain Maxwell Hard Fork testnet activation.

The 1-hour chart on TradingView shows that BNB found support near the 50-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at $672.70, pivoting up to break above the 100-period EMA.

The price encountered strong resistance at the 200-period EMA, with a high touched at $684.39. Afterward, the price pulled back slightly.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) reached 68.91, approaching the overbought threshold of 70. The RSI’s 14-period average is at 55.02, indicating building momentum but no confirmed breakout.

Trading volume remains moderate at 9.99K, showing measured interest despite the ongoing technical upgrade.

The data suggests that while the BNB Chain upgrade enhances speed and network structure, it has not yet triggered a significant price reaction.

As of now, BNB continues to consolidate around the $680 zone, with price action remaining relatively stable ahead of the June 30 mainnet deployment of the Maxwell Hard Fork.