$ETH
On May 7, 2025, Ethereum successfully activated its highly anticipated “Pectra” upgrade, marking the most significant overhaul of the network since the Merge in 2022. This comprehensive update introduces a suite of enhancements aimed at improving staking efficiency, wallet functionality, and overall network performance$ETH
Key Highlights of the Pectra Upgrade
1. Increased Validator Stake Limit
A central feature of the Pectra upgrade is the implementation of Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 7251, which raises the maximum effective balance per validator from 32 ETH to 2,048 ETH. This change allows validators to consolidate their stakes, reducing the need to operate multiple validator nodes and thereby streamlining operations and lowering infrastructure costs.
2. Enhanced Staking Operations
The upgrade introduces several improvements to staking operations:
EIP-6110: Validator deposits are now supplied on-chain, reducing the delay between submitting a staking deposit transaction and its finalization from approximately 12 hours to about 13 minutes.
EIP-7002: Execution-layer triggerable withdrawals are enabled, allowing staking withdrawals to be initiated directly from a validator’s withdrawal credentials.
3. Smart Contract Wallet Functionality
With the activation of EIP-7702, wallets can now function as smart contracts, enabling features such as stablecoin fee payments and automated transactions. This enhancement provides users with greater flexibility and security in managing their assets.
