Ethereum Gas Limit: An Expected but Risky Increase

The Ethereum network is about to take a new step. More than 52% of validators have indeed expressed their support for an increase in the gas limit

The Ethereum network is about to take a new step. More than 52% of validators have indeed expressed their support for an increase in the gas limit. The first since The Merge in 2022! This change could directly impact transaction fees, a key issue for blockchain users and developers.

Set around 30 million, the current gas limit of Ethereum could rise to 36 million. According to some proposals, it could even reach 40 million in the long term. This evolution aims to:

According to Vitalik Buterin, this modification would be the first to be coordinated through the PoS system, which is more decentralized than the old proof-of-work consensus. A similar vote will also be organized for the Pectra fork, expected in March.

However, some experts warn about the dangers of an increase that is too rapid. Toni Wahrstätter, a researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, fears that a cap of 60 million could compromise the stability of the network. This would lead to propagation failures and put individual node operators in difficulty.

In the face of risks, Vitalik Buterin advocates for a gradual and controlled increase. This would allow the Ethereum blockchain to adapt without resorting to a hard fork. This approach would facilitate the evolution of Ethereum based on technological advancements. But that’s not all! It would also avoid frequent blockages related to major updates.

Influential figures in the sector support this vision. Notably, Eric Connor and Mariano Conti, whose platform Pump The Gas advocates for a cap of 40 million. They believe this would reduce transaction fees without compromising decentralization.

The increase in Ethereum’s gas limit marks a significant turning point for the blockchain. If this evolution is confirmed, it could improve the scalability of the Ethereum network. However, caution remains necessary to avoid any destabilization of the system.