#PectraUpgradeEthereum #ETH

Ethereum's Pectra update adds new features. The $ETH starts to react and the price RISES by up to 20%

(repost @Coindesk and adaptations - 08.05.2025 - 18h - Brazil)

Ethereum activated its highly anticipated “Pectra” update on Wednesday, marking the most significant overhaul of the blockchain since the merge in 2022.

The update aims to optimize staking, enhance wallet functionality, and improve overall efficiency. It arrives at a time when Ethereum faces increasing competition and internal debates about its direction.

The Pectra update, a "hard fork" in blockchain jargon, was triggered at 10:05 UTC and completed about 13 minutes later.

A key element of the update involves increasing the amount of ETH that can be deposited from 32 to 2,048. This change could help speed up and streamline operations for stakers, the vast network of companies and individuals that help KEEP the Ethereum network running.

Previously, large-scale staking required the setup of multiple validators; now, stakers can consolidate up to that amount in a single node.

The update, considered the largest for Ethereum since the 2022 Merge to proof of stake, comes at a delicate time for the ecosystem. It follows two failed tests, one of which permanently took a key Ethereum test network offline.

Moreover, Ethereum, the network that introduced smart contracts and blockchain-based decentralized applications, has been losing market share to more agile competitors in recent months.

Solana, in particular, has attracted more new developers in the past year than Ethereum, which has long been considered the dominant non-Bitcoin blockchain.

The Ethereum community has debated whether its unofficial leader — the nonprofit Ethereum Foundation — is to blame for the low price of the ETH token and the perception within the industry that the network lacks a cohesive vision.