Increased Execution Capacity on Ethereum Mainnet
Ethereum has achieved a significant milestone in its execution capacity, with its mainnet block gas limit reaching 60 million. This represents the highest level the network has experienced in four years.
According to data from the tracker Gas Limit Pics, over 513,000 validators signaled their support for a 60 million gas limit in November. This collective action pushed the Ethereum network past the necessary threshold, initiating an upward drift of the gas limit by the protocol.
A higher gas limit enables Ethereum to accommodate more operations within each block. This includes a greater volume of swaps, token transfers, and smart contract calls. In practical terms, this enhancement can alleviate network congestion during periods of high activity and improve the network's ability to process a larger number of transactions directly on its base layer.
As more than 513,000 validators transitioned from the previous 45 million gas limit ceiling to the elevated 60 million configuration, Ethereum's effective block size began to increase automatically. This adjustment has led to a rise in throughput across the network's base layer.
The "Pump The Gas" Initiative for Ethereum Scalability
In March 2024, Ethereum developers launched a concerted effort to increase the network's gas limit, a move they believe will significantly contribute to scaling Ethereum.
Ethereum developers Eric Connor and Mariano Conti spearheaded an initiative named "Pump The Gas." Their objective was to raise the Ethereum gas limit, which they argued would lead to a reduction in transaction fees on the layer-1 blockchain.
The initiative called upon solo stakers, client teams, mining pools, and community members to actively support and advance this objective.
By December 2024, the movement gained substantial momentum as validators began signaling their support for an increased gas limit. The community rallied together to advocate for an increase in the maximum amount of gas permitted for transactions to be included in a single Ethereum block.
This gas limit increase is particularly timely, arriving ahead of a significant upcoming network upgrade known as Fusaka. This upgrade is designed to enhance Ethereum's scalability. On October 29, the Fusaka upgrade was successfully implemented on the Hoodi testnet, marking the final stage before its planned mainnet debut on December 3.
Community Views the 60 Million Gas Limit as a Starting Point
Ethereum community leaders have indicated that the transition to a 60 million gas limit is merely the initial phase of a more extensive expansion of the network's execution capacity.
Toni Wahrstätter, a researcher at the Ethereum Foundation, acknowledged the collaborative efforts of teams, researchers, and ecosystem contributors in coordinating this advancement.
Wahrstätter stated on X, "Just a year after the community started pushing for higher gas limits, Ethereum is now running with a 60M block gas limit. That’s a 2x increase in a single year — and it’s only the beginning."
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shared a similar perspective, suggesting that the network can anticipate continued growth over the next year. However, he noted that this expansion would likely be more targeted and less uniform.
Buterin proposed a future scenario where the network enhances its overall capacity while simultaneously increasing the cost of certain inefficient operations. He also highlighted the potential for a more refined approach to scaling, which would involve larger block sizes coupled with intelligent pricing mechanisms. This strategy aims to ensure that the network can expand safely without introducing new complications.