Ethereum developers target May 7 for Pectra upgrade deployment

Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH) developers have set May 7, 2025, as the tentative date for the mainnet launch of the Pectra upgrade, following successful testing on the Hoodi testnet.

This decision was finalised during a core developers' call, marking a slight delay from earlier projections of a late April rollout.

The Pectra upgrade introduces 11 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) aimed at enhancing network efficiency, usability, and staking capabilities.

Key changes include EIP-7702 for account abstraction, EIP-7251 to raise validator staking limits from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH, and EIP-7691 to increase blob capacity for rollup scalability.

Ethereum developer Terence Tsao emphasised the importance of thorough preparation and testing before deployment.

“Shifting the date to early May allows stakeholders and client teams additional time to ensure readiness,” he noted during the call.

The Hoodi testnet trial demonstrated the feasibility of these modifications, with developers indicating that Pectra could be activated on the mainnet approximately 30 days after successful testing.

However, they acknowledged that timelines could still shift if unforeseen issues arise.

The upgrade builds on Ethereum’s roadmap following the Dencun hard fork in March 2024.

Dencun focused on reducing transaction fees and improving scalability, while Pectra aims to further advance these goals by integrating features like PeerDAS for enhanced data availability and EOF improvements for smart contract security.

Developers have highlighted Pectra’s potential to support decentralised applications (dApps) and increase network efficiency.

These changes are expected to lower transaction costs and improve user experience across Ethereum’s ecosystem.

While May 7 remains the target date, Ethereum’s history of delays underscores the complexity of implementing major network upgrades.

Developers continue to stress the importance of rigorous testing to minimise disruptions during deployment.

The Pectra upgrade represents a significant milestone in Ethereum’s evolution, paving the way for improved scalability and usability.

As stakeholders prepare for its implementation, its impact on Ethereum’s broader ecosystem will be closely watched.

At the time of reporting, the Ethereum (ETH) price was $1,797.36.