Ethereum will activate the Glamsterdam upgrade on its Hoodi testnet on October 26, setting a deadline for operators to update their software before a planned test of a 200 million gas target. The event is a step in Ethereum’s work on scaling its Layer 1 network, while the schedule for a corresponding mainnet activation has not yet been decided, according to CryptoSlate.
Hoodi upgrade sets an operator deadline
The activation is scheduled for 17:42:48 UTC on October 26, 2026. Hoodi is an Ethereum test network, so the announcement does not require ETH holders or operators on the mainnet to take action.
Hoodi node operators must upgrade both their execution and consensus clients before the activation. Validators have additional requirements: they must update their beacon node and validator client, and review validator duties, compatibility with builder tools and gas-limit settings under the upgraded testnet rules.
The Foundation’s announcement on October 16 followed Glamsterdam’s October 6 activation on Sepolia, another Ethereum testnet. Hoodi is therefore the next scheduled test environment for the upgrade. Mainnet timing remains undecided.
What the 200 million gas target means
The test includes a 200 million gas target. On Ethereum, gas measures the computational work required to process transactions and other operations. A higher block gas limit can allow more activity in each block, although the number of transactions that fit depends on how complex they are. Network demand also affects fees.
The Hoodi schedule does not impose an immediate, fixed 200 million gas ceiling. Instead, the gas-limit settings provide client defaults and recommendations, while operators retain their preferences. The actual block limit is expected to move gradually under Ethereum’s existing rules.
The broader Glamsterdam upgrade combines Amsterdam changes on Ethereum’s execution layer with Gloas changes on its consensus layer. It includes enshrined proposer-builder separation, which brings the exchange between block proposers and builders into the protocol and gives validators more time to check execution. Block-level access lists will record accessed accounts, storage and state changes, allowing clients to perform more work in parallel.
Software releases and contract testing
The Foundation’s Hoodi release information lists Ethrex as a release candidate. Grandine, Lighthouse, Erigon, go-ethereum and Reth were not listed in the supplied update; operators are directed to use releases whose notes confirm support for the Hoodi activation.
Besu 26.10.0 includes a first-start migration of Bonsai code storage and retains more history when pruning. Operators downgrading from that version must use Besu’s documented storage revert-code-format command before an older version can reopen the database.
Developers also need to test applications against revised gas pricing. Contracts that depend on fixed stipends, hardcoded limits or assumptions about remaining gas could be affected, and the Foundation has advised testing both contracts and gas estimation under the new rules.
Moneyiar market picture
Moneyiar data at 21:59 on October 17, 2026, showed Ethereum (ETH) at $2,374.4778719695, down 1.64% over 24 hours and 5.29% over seven days. Shiba Inu was $0.0000049264, down 3.06% and 9.77% over those periods, respectively. Uniswap stood at $7.0895013921, down 1.87% in 24 hours and 7.32% in seven days, while Pepe was $0.0000038221, down 4.71% and 5.44%.
