The Ethereum Foundation has published an updated 2026 protocol roadmap built around three priorities: scaling, user experience improvements, and base layer protection. The message is that 2025 delivered meaningful progress, but the next phase requires the goals themselves to evolve so the network can scale faster without diluting the properties that make Ethereum reliable and credibly neutral.
1) Scaling: higher L1 throughput and better data availability
On scaling, the roadmap points to two parallel tracks: increasing Layer 1 capacity and expanding data availability. The practical plan includes:
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gradually raising the gas limit toward 100 million and beyond, backed by systematic client performance testing and block-level changes designed to make those increases safer to execute;
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preparing the Glamsterdam hard fork, which is expected to inсlude enshrined PBS (ePBS), re-pricing of selected operations, and higher limits for blob-related capacity;
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bringing a zkEVM-based attestor client closer to production use on mainnet;
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optimizing storage and moving toward stateless-friendly design by pruning legacy data and adopting newer state structures.
The underlying intent is clear: Ethereum does not want scaling to be only an L2 story. It wants measurable L1 improvements that compound over time and reduce operational friction for the network as a whole.
2) UX: native account abstraction and smoother cross-network usage
On UX, the roadmap doubles down on native account abstraction and interoperability.
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EIP-7702 is framed as a key milestone, but the target state is broader: smart contract wallets should become the default experience, running natively with fewer intermediaries and less unnecessary gas overhead.
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Additional proposals mentioned in the plan (EIP-7701 and EIP-8141) aim to embed smart account logic deeper into the protocol itself.
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The Foundation also explicitly ties account abstraction to post-quantum readiness: a more flexible native account model should make it easier to move away from legacy ECDSA authentication over time.
For interoperability, the roadmap references continued work on the Open Intents Framework, intended to make interaction across L2s feel seamless, so users focus on outcomes rather than network choreography.
3) Base layer protection: security, censorship resistance, and stability
A notable shift is the explicit “base layer protection” pillar, designed to preserve Ethereum’s core guarantees as scaling accelerates. The plan highlights:
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security work, including preparation for a post-quantum world and execution-layer defenses;
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censorship resistance, including the FOCIL approach, blob protections, and the creation of measurable indicators for how censorship resistant the ecosystem really is;
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testing and network stability, with emphasis on testnets, safer upgrade rollouts, and keeping client implementations compatible as the hard fork cadence speeds up.
The next major milestone is the Glamsterdam upgrade, targeted for the first half of 2026, with Hegota expected later.
