Catenaa, Wednesday, February 26, 2025- Ethereum developers have activated the much-anticipated Pectra upgrade on the Holesky test network, marking a critical step toward its eventual mainnet deployment. The upgrade went live at 4:55 p.m. ET on Sunday but has yet to finalize, prompting developers to investigate potential issues.
This follows the Ethereum Foundation (EF) announcing Aya Miyaguchi as president from executive director, effective immediately.
Miyaguchi will focus on institutional relationships and expanding Ethereum’s global influence.
Holesky, designed to mimic real-world network conditions, serves as a testing ground for new Ethereum upgrades. While the Pectra launch proceeded as scheduled at epoch 115,968, block finalization remains incomplete, raising concerns that could impact the next planned activation on the Sepolia testnet, set for March 5. Developers may delay Sepolia if issues persist.
Pectra introduces significant enhancements, including a higher validator stake limit (EIP-7251), improved account abstraction (EIP-7702), and increased rollup scalability (EIP-7691). If successful on both testnets, the Ethereum team is expected to schedule a mainnet deployment, likely in April.
The upgrade follows Ethereum’s Dencun update in 2024, which slashed Layer 2 transaction fees. Developers continue to assess Holesky’s finalization delay before proceeding with the next phase of Pectra’s rollout.
