Key Points
Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade is slated to be implemented on the Holesky and Sepolia testnets.
This information was confirmed by the core developers of Ethereum (ETH) on February 6.
The Pectra upgrade is expected to be launched on the Holesky testnet on February 24, 2025, and on the Sepolia testnet on March 5, 2025.
Plan for Pectra Upgrade
If everything goes as planned, the network update will be live on the mainnet by April.
Previously, the mainnet was expected to go live in March.
Tim Beiko, a core developer of Ethereum and a support lead for the Ethereum Foundation, shared the timeline details.
According to him, Holesky will fork at slot 3710976, and Sepolia will fork at slot 7118848.
The developer also mentioned that the mainnet slot will be chosen in the March 6 ACD call if the Sepolia testnet runs smoothly.
On March 6, 2025, the All Core Developers of Ethereum are scheduled to meet and make a final decision about the mainnet launch of Pectra.
Pectra is anticipated to bring eight key improvements to the Ethereum network, primarily focusing on wallets and validators.
The most significant proposals are EIP-7702 and EIP-7251, which are designed to enhance the security and efficiency of these components.
The announcement of the testnet dates for Pectra on Holesky and Sepolia, and the possible mainnet launch, brings Ethereum’s first major upgrade since the Dencun upgrade in March 2024 closer to reality.
Dencun was instrumental in significantly reducing layer 2 gas fees.
If Pectra is implemented as planned, the next focus will be the Fusaka upgrade, which is expected in the fourth quarter.
ETH, the native token of the Ethereum network, has been underperforming over the past several months compared to Bitcoin (BTC) and other top altcoins.
The Ethereum Foundation has been at the center of controversy, contributing to the downward pressure.
However, ETH managed to recover from lows of $2,100 to $2,900 after a sell-off in the cryptocurrency market due to tariff news.
It remains to be seen if the upcoming Pectra testnets and the possible release in April will serve as a catalyst.
