The Glamsterdam Sepolia upgrade is scheduled for October 6, 2026, at 13:53:36 UTC, according to the Ethereum Foundation Blog. Sepolia node operators must update both execution and consensus clients before activation, while validators also need to check new builder-related duties and client-specific gas-limit settings.

Key Takeaways

  • Sepolia activation is scheduled for epoch 353,024 and slot 11,296,768; the announcement does not set Hoodi or mainnet dates.
  • Validators must update their execution client, consensus beacon node and validator client, and review builder-tooling compatibility.
  • Prysm and Teku guidance identifies configuration changes needed for validators wishing to propose with a 200 million gas limit.

Table of Contents

Glamsterdam Sepolia activation and client readiness

The announcement sets a software-readiness deadline for Sepolia operators rather than a mainnet deployment date. Operators should use only releases whose notes explicitly confirm support for the scheduled activation. Nodes that do not support the new rules cannot follow the upgraded network.

The consensus release table lists Grandine 3.0.0-rc.0, Lighthouse 8.3.0-rc.0, Lodestar 1.49.0, Nimbus 26.10.0, Prysm 7.2.1 and Teku 26.9.1. Execution releases listed are Besu 26.9.0, Ethrex 29.0.1, Erigon 3.7.1, go-ethereum 1.17.7, Nethermind 2.1.0 and Reth 2.7.0.

The Foundation says the tables will be updated as further releases are confirmed. Operators relying on external block-building infrastructure should also consult its Glamsterdam-specific upgrade instructions.

Validator gas-limit settings need a separate check

The announcement includes configuration cautions for Prysm and Teku. Although its release table lists Prysm 7.2.1, the accompanying note specifically addresses Prysm 7.2.0: that version supports the Sepolia fork but defaults to a 60 million gas limit after activation.

For Prysm 7.2.0 validators wishing to propose with a 200 million gas limit, the guidance calls for explicit configuration through version 2 proposer settings or the keymanager API. The --suggested-gas-limit option has no effect after Gloas.

Teku 26.9.1 also defaults to 60 million after activation. Its validators can explicitly configure 200 million using --validators-builder-registration-default-gas-limit=200000000.

Changes extend beyond the client update

Glamsterdam combines the Amsterdam execution-layer upgrade and Gloas consensus-layer upgrade. EIP-7732 brings proposer-builder separation into the consensus protocol, including protocol-handled proposer payment and new duties around payload timeliness. It also separates consensus validation from execution validation, giving validators more time to check execution payloads.

EIP-7928 introduces enforced block-level access lists, designed to support parallel state reads and transaction validation, alongside more efficient state-root computation. These changes provide a foundation for greater execution capacity; the announcement does not report a measured throughput gain.

Developers should also test revised gas accounting. EIP-8037 increases and separately meters state-creation costs, while EIP-8038 changes state-access costs. Contracts using fixed gas stipends, hardcoded limits or assumptions about remaining gas may need changes.

The Ethereum Bug Bounty Program is active for Glamsterdam specifications and EIPs. Client implementations become eligible when their releases are added to the announcement’s client tables.

Conclusion

Sepolia operators face an October 6 update deadline, with validator configuration and builder compatibility requiring attention alongside client installation. This announcement requires no action from mainnet users or ETH holders.

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