Ethereum Set to Boost Network Throughput with 66% Gas Limit Hike
Ethereum is preparing for a major performance upgrade as core developers and validators align on a plan to raise the network's gas limit by 66%, aiming to enhance scalability and reduce transaction fees on the base layer.
On May 7, Ethereum core developer Parithosh Jayanthi confirmed that a new gas limit of 60 million units—up from the current 36 million—will soon go live on Ethereum’s mainnet. The update comes after successful testing on the Sepolia and Holesky testnets.
“We start shipping 60M on Sepolia tomorrow, Hoodi/Holesky shortly after,” Jayanthi announced. “If it’s deemed safe and we patch all found bugs, we ship on mainnet.”
What the Upgrade Means
The gas limit controls how much computational work can be included in a single Ethereum block. A higher limit allows more transactions and smart contract operations to be processed at once, potentially easing congestion and accelerating throughput.
According to on-chain analytics platform PumpTheGas, the expanded capacity could reduce Ethereum’s Layer 1 fees by as much as 30%, depending on network conditions.
If implemented, this will be the second gas limit increase of 2025. The first came in February, when the limit was raised from 30 million to 36 million—the first such adjustment since 2021.
Validator Community Backs the Shift
Support for the upgrade is strong. Data indicates that nearly 80% of validators favor the increase, with approximately 10,000 ready to implement the 60 million gas ceiling. Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake confirmed his own validator is already configured for the transition, calling it “safe,” particularly after stability improvements brought by the Pectra upgrade.
Ethereum core developer Eric Conner echoed the sentiment, encouraging other validators to adopt the change for its long-term network benefits.
The move aligns with the broader vision set by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and researcher Dankrad Feist, both of whom have long advocated for increasing base-layer capacity. Buterin, in particular, has suggested gas limit increases of up to 10x to meet the network’s growing demand—despite the rise of Layer 2 scaling solutions.
What’s Next?
With momentum building and mainnet deployment on the horizon, Ethereum’s latest gas limit boost could mark a pivotal step in improving on-chain performance—laying the groundwork for a more scalable, cost-efficient blockchain.