Ethereum’s Pectra Upgrade Passes Audit, On Track for Launch

The Ethereum Foundation has announced the successful completion of the audit for the Pectra upgrade’s system contracts, which involved reviewing three Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs)—EIP-2935, EIP-7002, and EIP-7251—out of the 11 included in the upgrade. The audit found and resolved all significant issues, ensuring that the contract logic aligns with the intended functions outlined in the Ethereum Improvement Proposals. This is a crucial step in preparing for the upcoming launch of the upgrade.

The Pectra upgrade, which consolidates these EIPs, was initially deployed on the Holesky testnet on February 24. However, it did not finalize within the expected timeframe. A key component of this upgrade is EIP-7702, which seeks to improve the user experience for crypto wallets by incorporating smart contract functionality. This aligns with Ethereum’s broader goal of integrating account abstraction, which aims to simplify and enhance the user experience when interacting with the network.

Another significant proposal within the upgrade, EIP-7251, seeks to address the limitations around validator staking. It will increase the maximum staking limit from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH, which should help validators who wish to stake larger amounts of ETH, without the need to distribute their stakes across multiple validators. This change is expected to streamline the staking process and make it more efficient.

Holesky, the first testnet to run the Pectra upgrade, showed promising results. The next test is scheduled for the Sepolia testnet on March 5. However, depending on the issues encountered during the Holesky test, the Sepolia test may be delayed. Despite this, with the successful audit confirming that all significant issues have been addressed, the upgrade appears to be progressing smoothly.

The mainnet deployment of the Pectra upgrade is currently scheduled for April 8, 2025. If everything goes according to plan, this will mark a significant milestone in Ethereum’s ongoing efforts to enhance scalability, security, and usability, particularly for those interacting with the network’s staking and wallet systems.