Ethereum’s Hoodi testnet upgrade to raise gas limit to 200 million on October 26

Network upgrade: Gas limit and technical improvements

The Ethereum Foundation confirmed that Glamsterdam will go live on Hoodi at epoch 132,352, boosting the testnet’s gas limit to 200 million. The step follows its prior activation on the Sepolia testnet earlier this month.

One major feature of the Glamsterdam upgrade is enshrined proposer-builder separation. This mechanism directly embeds block-building roles within Ethereum’s protocol, aiming to streamline block production and boost efficiency. The update also brings in block-level access lists, improving the process of transaction verification and validation.

These initiatives are part of Ethereum’s broader scaling roadmap and aim to make larger blocks more manageable for validators while maintaining security. Staged testnet deployments enable developers to catch potential issues before changes move to the mainnet.

Mini dictionary: Proposer-builder separation, a protocol design that divides responsibilities between proposing new blocks (proposers) and constructing them (builders) to enhance security, decentralization, and efficiency in proof-of-stake blockchain networks.

Establishing a 200-million gas limit on the testnet is an essential step for technical validation, not an immediate upgrade to Ethereum’s mainnet throughput. No timeline has yet been provided for integrating these changes into the live network, and users should not expect instant mainnet capacity increases upon Hoodi’s activation.

Market reaction: ETF withdrawals and resistance levels

While the upgrade marks progress in Ethereum’s development, ETH’s price action has remained under pressure in October. The $2,500–$2,550 zone has failed to attract sustained demand, even as the cryptocurrency rebounded off the $2,330 support region.

Institutional participation has presented further headwinds. Coinpaper analysis indicates that Ethereum ETFs collectively saw about $1.08 billion in withdrawals during October alone. BlackRock’s Ethereum fund contributed significantly during a $259.5 million outflow period, underscoring the contrast between ongoing network improvements and current investor sentiment.

These withdrawals have undermined previous bullish institutional targets such as the $5,000 mark, which was previously discussed in market forecasts.

A successful Hoodi upgrade could reinforce confidence among Ethereum participants, but the Foundation’s technical milestones do not guarantee new capital inflows or improved price performance in the short term.

Technical upgrades such as Glamsterdam enhance Ethereum’s long-term scaling and block-building capabilities, but network improvements alone cannot spur immediate price rallies without corresponding investor participation and market sentiment recovering.

Outlook: Key support and resistance zones

Sustained price recovery for ETH depends on reclaiming and maintaining daily closes above the $2,500–$2,550 resistance band. Such a move could strengthen prospects for a rise toward $2,600, with further momentum possibly leading to a $2,800 test—provided that trading volumes increase and institutional outflows decrease.

Conversely, failure to overcome resistance near $2,550 could expose Ethereum to further declines. A renewed drop below $2,400 would raise the risk of revisiting the $2,300 area, especially if derivatives markets amplify liquidations amid failed support levels.

Past network upgrades, such as the Fusaka rollout, have highlighted the value of thorough testing and multi-client coordination in ensuring smooth transitions on Ethereum’s mainnet.