Ethereum Pectra Upgrade: Here’s What To Expect As Mainnet’s Set to Launch

Key Insights:

• Pectra upgrade is set to go live on the Ethereum mainnet in hours.
• The Pectra upgrade faced strains on testnet but surmounted following developer focus.
• About 11 EIPs are set to go live alongside the Pectra upgrade.

The Ethereum Foundation is set for one of its biggest upgrades in years. The highly anticipated Pectra upgrade is only hours away, scheduled to go live on May 7, 2025.

The upgrade is expected to improve nearly every part of the network, from how users log in to how apps run.

Developers and investors alike are watching closely as the countdown begins.

Key Pectra Upgrade Facts to Know

The Pectra upgrade is a combination of two planned phases called Prague and Electra.

It brings in 11 new Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs), making it the most significant update since early 2024.

Among the most talked about changes is EIP-7702, which allows regular Ethereum accounts to run smart contract code.

This builds on previous upgrades and aims to make wallets more powerful and flexible.

Another major proposal, EIP-7251, raises the staking limit for validators from 32 ETH to 2048 ETH.

This is a big step for larger stakers, allowing them to manage their holdings more easily without splitting them into multiple validators.

This also reduces the costs of managing their nodes while maintaining safety measures. EIP-7594, also called PeerDAS, is focused on scaling.

It increases the number of data blobs per block from 3 to 6, meaning Layer 2 networks can process more transactions simultaneously.

This could reduce transaction fees for users relying on those faster, cheaper networks.

Other additions include support for zero-knowledge technology.

This is expected to help with privacy and speed, especially in projects like BEAM focusing on private transactions.

Also, companies like Etherealize_io are working to help bigger institutions explore Ethereum by offering research and tools that make entry easier.

Ethereum Upgrade: Launch Timelines, Role of Developers and Users

Notably, work on the Pectra upgrade began in late 2024.

Developers decided to delay the original launch to early 2025 to test more features and ensure readiness. On February 14, 2025, the Ethereum Foundation shared the complete plan.

Between February 24 and March 17, Pectra was tested on Holesky, Sepolia, and a new testnet named Hoodi.

While there were a few issues during testing, developers quickly fixed them through the Hoodi testnet.

It is important to add that by March 27, the final mainnet launch date was confirmed for May 7.

Since then, developers have worked to ensure their systems can handle the changes. As the foundation detailed, users do not need to take action, but staying informed is encouraged.

In case of issues, developers say they have backup systems ready based on lessons from past updates.

Ethereum Price in Spotlight, Is Breakout Looming?

The price of Ethereum is fluctuating ahead of the upgrade.

CoinMarketCap data shows that ETH traded at $1,767.55, and was down by 2.02%.

Analysts are watching closely to see if the Pectra upgrade could trigger a move toward the $2,000 mark.

Likewise, short-term charts show ETH moving sideways, with strong support between $1,754 and $1,765. The upper limit for now comes in around $1,855.

A breakout above that level could push the price higher to $1,949 or even $2,100, based on Fibonacci levels and previous highs.

On-chain data shows a key resistance zone between $1,805 and $1,857, with nearly 6 million ETH held by over 4 million addresses.

However, analysts also say there is less supply above that zone, meaning a breakout could come with less pushback. Still, the Ethereum community remains confident.

Multiple improvements will be triggered across the network once the Pectra upgrade goes live on the mainnet.

Along with these changes, many believe it could also lead to a major price breakout for Ethereum, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency.

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