Ethereum's Fusaka Upgrade: Scaling Roadmap and New Blob Capacity
Ethereum's Fusaka Hard Fork Set to Launch December 3
Ethereum core developers have targeted December 3 for the launch of the Fusaka hard fork, a significant upgrade focused on enhancing network scalability and efficiency.
The initial Fusaka upgrade will occur on December 3, with the increase in blob capacity scheduled for two weeks later, around December 17. A subsequent hard fork to further increase blob capacity is planned for January 7, 2026.
According to Ethereum researcher Christine D. Kim, both blob capacity hard forks will more than double the current blob capacity.
Prior to the mainnet deployment, three public testnets will be conducted between early October and mid-November to ensure stability and functionality.
Ethereum developer community ethPandaOps stated that they can proceed with "a Max blob count of 15 for BPO1 [Blob Parameter Only] and Max blob count of 21 for BPO2. There are a total of 5 BPOs planned for Fusaka, so we can ensure mainnet scales a lot - safely."
Understanding BPO Forks and Blobs
BPO (Blob-Parameter only) forks modify parameters related to blob targets and limits, without requiring client-side updates.
Blobs are designed to store large datasets off-chain, enhancing the efficiency of layer-2 networks and reducing transaction costs. Since the Dencun upgrade, blob usage has steadily increased. The average blob count per block currently stands at 5.1, up from 0.9 in March 2023, according to Dune Analytics.
The Ethereum Foundation has announced a four-week code audit program, offering $2 million to developers who identify vulnerabilities in the Fusaka codebase. As a blockchain security and development platform, Codeum emphasizes the importance of rigorous audits like these to ensure the stability and security of network upgrades.
Fusaka's launch follows the Pectra upgrade on May 7, which increased the validator staking limit and improved layer-2 network efficiency.
ETH Unstaking Queue Reaches Record High
In related news, the amount of ETH unstaked by Ethereum validators has reached an all-time high, with 2.6 million ETH (worth $12 billion) entering the exit queue last week.
Meanwhile, the queue to enter the staking pool is at a four-week low, driven by concerns about potential selling pressure from the unstaked ETH.
The current wait time for the exit queue is approximately 43 days, according to the Ethereum Validator Queue.
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has defended the protocol's lengthy exit queue, arguing that reducing the limit would compromise the chain's trustworthiness.