Ethereum’s highly anticipated Glamsterdam upgrade has been moved to the third quarter of 2024, delaying the network’s target to raise its gas limit and implement a suite of performance enhancements, according to data compiled by CoinMarketCap. The shift represents the latest in a series of schedule adjustments that have followed the successful rollout of the London hard fork and the ongoing transition to proof‑of‑stake.
What the Glamsterdam Upgrade Entails
The Glamsterdam hard fork is designed to expand Ethereum’s block gas limit, a critical parameter that determines how many transactions can be processed in each block. Raising the limit is intended to ease the chronic congestion that has driven up transaction fees, especially during periods of heightened DeFi and NFT activity. In addition to the gas‑limit adjustment, the upgrade will incorporate a set of protocol optimisations aimed at improving overall network efficiency and paving the way for future scaling solutions.
"Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade has been pushed to Q3 as the gas‑limit target is set."
While the exact magnitude of the gas‑limit increase has not been disclosed, developers have long argued that a higher ceiling is essential for supporting the growing demand for complex smart‑contract interactions without imposing prohibitive costs on users.
Market Implications
The delay arrives at a time when Ethereum’s price has been volatile, trading below its recent highs and prompting investors to reassess the timeline for broader ecosystem upgrades. Analysts note that expectations of a near‑term gas‑limit boost had been factored into market sentiment, and the revised schedule could temper bullish forecasts for ETH’s price appreciation in the short run.
For decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms and NFT marketplaces that rely on low‑cost, high‑throughput transactions, the postponement may prolong the period of elevated fees and slower confirmation times. Some projects have already begun exploring layer‑2 solutions or alternative roll‑up technologies to mitigate the impact while the core network awaits the upgrade.
Developers, who have been preparing code changes to accommodate the new gas parameters, now face an extended testing window. The Ethereum community has expressed a mixed response: optimism that the additional time will allow for more thorough audits, but concern that the delay could stall momentum for upcoming dApp launches that were timed around the original rollout.
Ethereum’s core development team has not provided a detailed explanation for the schedule shift, but the change aligns with a broader pattern of cautious, iterative releases following the merge to proof‑of‑stake. Stakeholders are watching closely for an updated roadmap that will confirm the exact timing of Glamsterdam and outline any further adjustments to the network’s scaling strategy.
Looking ahead, the third‑quarter window provides a new target for the community to rally around. If the upgrade proceeds as planned, the increased gas limit could lower transaction costs, improve user experience, and reinforce Ethereum’s position as the leading smart‑contract platform amid growing competition from alternative blockchains.
Market Snapshot
| Asset | Price | 24h | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bitcoin BTC | $82,946 | +0.45% | $1666.9B |
 Ethereum ETH | $2,505 | +0.69% | $305.9B |
 BNB BNB | $747.82 | +0.56% | $99.6B |
 XRP XRP | $1.4 | -0.09% | $88.3B |
 Solana SOL | $109.94 | +0.43% | $64.8B |
 Dogecoin DOGE | $0.0857 | -0.03% | $13.4B |
 Cardano ADA | $0.248 | +0.89% | $9.3B |
Live data: CoinGecko — 2026-10-11 01:20 UTC
