Ethereum 2026 upgrades are taking shape following the successful Fusaka activation on December 3, 2025. Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) developers activated the Fusaka upgrade at 21:49 UTC, introducing PeerDAS technology that dramatically improves network scalability and reduces transaction fees. With Ethereum trading around $3,050, the blockchain’s 2026 roadmap positions it to compete more effectively against high speed alternatives like Solana (CRYPTO: SOL).

What The Fusaka Upgrade Delivers For Ethereum Scalability

The Fusaka upgrade combines 13 Ethereum Improvement Proposals focused on scaling data availability for Layer 2 networks. PeerDAS technology allows validators to verify blob data through sampling rather than downloading complete datasets, reducing bandwidth requirements by 87.5%. Each validator now handles just one eighth of blob data, enabling Ethereum to scale up to eight times current capacity without forcing home validators onto expensive data center infrastructure.

Ethereum’s block gas limit increased to 60 million units, doubling the previous 30 million threshold. This expansion enables more transactions to process in parallel while maintaining network security. New safety features prevent any single transaction from consuming excessive resources.

Scheduled Blob Parameter Only forks on December 17 and January 7 will raise blob capacity from six per block to 14 blobs per block. These incremental adjustments allow Ethereum scalability improvements based on actual Layer 2 demand without waiting years between major upgrades.

Ethereum 2026 Upgrades: Glamsterdam And Beyond

Ethereum developers confirmed the next major upgrade, Glamsterdam, for mid to late 2026. This Ethereum 2026 upgrade will introduce enshrined Proposer Builder Separation to strengthen the maximal extractable value supply chain. The protocol level split between block building and proposing reduces reliance on external relays and improves validator independence.

Block level Access Lists represent another key feature targeting more efficient state access and execution in Ethereum 2026 upgrades. This improvement enables better handling of complex smart contracts and supports future blob capacity increases as Layer 2 networks scale. Analysts project these enhancements will help Ethereum maintain dominance in decentralized finance, where it holds over 50% of total value locked.

Developers deferred several Ethereum Improvement Proposals from Fusaka to Glamsterdam to avoid delays. EIP 7907 and Ethereum Virtual Machine Object Format were postponed despite strong interest. EOF will restructure how smart contracts separate code from data, making contracts easier to validate and optimize.

The Ethereum 2026 roadmap includes potential six second block times, down from the current 12 second standard. Faster block finality improves user experience for time sensitive applications including decentralized exchanges and blockchain gaming. Combined with continued gas limit increases, these Ethereum scalability improvements position the network to support significantly higher transaction volumes while maintaining decentralization.

How Ethereum 2026 Upgrades Strengthen Competitive Position

Ethereum scalability upgrades directly address competitive weaknesses against high throughput blockchains. Solana processes approximately 4,000 transactions per second with sub second finality and $0.02 transaction costs. Ethereum’s base layer handles 30 transactions per second, though Layer 2 solutions like Arbitrum and Optimism now process thousands of transactions with fees below one cent.

Ethereum’s modular approach prioritizes security and decentralization over raw speed. The network maintains 1.1 million validators across 50 countries, significantly more than competitors. This validator distribution strengthens censorship resistance, a critical factor for institutional adoption of blockchain technology.

Recent data shows Ethereum holds $70 billion in total value locked compared to Solana’s $9.3 billion. This demonstrates continued developer preference for Ethereum’s established ecosystem despite lower transaction speeds. The Ethereum 2026 upgrades aim to close the performance gap while preserving security advantages that attracted this capital.

Future Outlook For Ethereum Fees And Scalability

The Ethereum 2026 roadmap positions the network to support transaction speeds exceeding 100,000 per second across its Layer 2 ecosystem once all planned improvements activate. Combined with Fusaka’s data availability enhancements and Glamsterdam’s execution optimizations, these Ethereum scalability upgrades create a pathway for mainstream adoption without sacrificing decentralization.

Lower Ethereum fees and improved scalability strengthen the network’s position as infrastructure for decentralized finance, non fungible tokens, and enterprise blockchain applications. As Ethereum Improvement Proposals continue rolling out through 2026, the network’s technical advantages over competitors become increasingly pronounced.

Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.