Ethereum is preparing for major network upgrades in 2026 that could transform how the blockchain works. According to recent developer roadmap updates shared in late 2025, Ethereum is planning two major protocol upgrades in 2026, the Glamsterdam fork and the Heze-Bogota fork.
These upgrades target faster transactions, stronger privacy, and better decentralization, helping the ETH token price rally ahead.
Glamsterdam Fork Targets Speed and Higher Gas Limits
One of the key upgrades expected in 2026 is the Glamsterdam fork, which focuses on performance. This upgrade introduces parallel transaction processing, enabling Ethereum to handle multiple tasks simultaneously instead of processing them one by one.
Along with this, Ethereum’s gas limit is expected to rise sharply to 200 million, up from the current 60 million. This would allow far more transactions to fit into each block, reducing congestion during busy periods.
Another important change is how validators operate. Instead of validating full transaction data, validators will move toward checking zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs. This reduces workload while keeping the network secure.
With these improvements combined, Ethereum’s main network could eventually reach up to 10,000 transactions per second, a major jump from today’s levels.
Heze-Bogota Fork Focuses on Privacy and Censorship Resistance
Alongside Glamsterdam upgrades, which focus on speed, Ethereum is also addressing concerns around privacy and decentralization. The planned Heze-Bogota fork will concentrate on strengthening user privacy and improving censorship resistance.
This upgrade aims to reduce reliance on centralized infrastructure and make it harder for any single party to block transactions.
Developers see this as a key step toward keeping Ethereum open, neutral, and permissionless as global adoption grows.
Why These Ethereum Upgrades Matter
Ethereum already powers much of today’s DeFi, NFT, and stablecoin activity