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The Ethereum Foundation has published its 2026 protocol priorities, setting targets for network scalability, user experience improvements, and long-term security hardening — including preparations for quantum computing threats.
The roadmap organizes development into three tracks: Scale, Improve UX, and Harden the L1.
Under the Scale track, the Foundation said it aims to push Ethereum's gas limit "toward and beyond" 100 million, up from 60 million currently. The initiative also includes advancing zero-knowledge proof attester clients and continued blob scaling for layer-2 data availability.
The Improve UX track focuses on native account abstraction, which would allow smart contract wallets to operate without relayers, and interoperability improvements through the Open Intents Framework to streamline cross-L2 interactions.
A newly created Harden the L1 track addresses Ethereum's long-term resilience, with priorities including post-quantum cryptography research, execution-layer safeguards, censorship resistance, and testing infrastructure improvements.
Two major network upgrades are planned for the year. Glamsterdam, expected in the first half of 2026, comprises up to 22 Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) focused on layer-1 scalability. Hegotá, slated for later in the year, will target higher gas limits, native account abstraction, and post-quantum readiness.
The announcement follows a productive 2025 in which Ethereum completed the Pectra and Fusaka upgrades, doubled blob throughput, raised validator balance caps, and increased the mainnet gas limit from 30 million to 60 million.
The priorities release comes shortly after co-executive director Tomasz Stańczak announced his intent to step down at month's end. Bastian Aue is assuming interim co-executive director duties.
Separately, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has outlined his vision for the blockchain's role in artificial intelligence, emphasizing secure and decentralized AI interactions — including private AI computation, encrypted API calls, and on-chain dispute resolution — rather than accelerating AI development directly.
Ether was trading at approximately $1,939 at time of publication, down roughly 2.5% over 24 hours, according to Coinmarketcap data.
