$ETH latest update

As of April 22, 2025, Ethereum is advancing with two significant developments:

1. Pectra Upgrade (Scheduled for May 7, 2025):

• Scalability Enhancements: The upgrade will double Layer 2 blob capacity, reducing transaction fees and network congestion.

• Staking Improvements: Validators can now stake up to 2,048 ETH, up from the previous 32 ETH limit, streamlining operations for large-scale stakers.

• User Experience Upgrades: Features like account abstraction will allow users to pay gas fees with stablecoins, enhancing flexibility.

2. Proposed Transition to RISC-V Architecture:

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has proposed replacing the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) with the open-source RISC-V architecture. This change aims to improve the efficiency of Ethereum’s execution layer, potentially offering up to 100x gains in zero-knowledge proof generation. The proposal emphasizes maintaining backward compatibility, ensuring existing smart contracts remain operational.