The approach to the Fusaka upgrade is igniting minds within the Ethereum ecosystem, with both developers and enthusiasts buzzing with excitement. The concept of a network capable of absorbing increasing activity without succumbing to congestion is a widely shared goal. This time, the key mechanism is the gas limit, an invisible gauge that restricts the load of a block. The network has recently surpassed an unprecedented threshold in four years, marking a technical and symbolic milestone that could reshape blockchain architecture for years to come.
In Brief
- •Ethereum has successfully increased its gas limit to 60 million, thanks to the mobilization of 513,000 validators in an effort to improve the network.
- •The 'Pump The Gas' operation has rallied the community and developers around base-layer scaling initiatives.
- •Vitalik Buterin aims to penalize inefficient operations to encourage a more stable and efficient Ethereum.
- •The Fusaka upgrade, scheduled for December 3, will integrate the new gas limit into Ethereum’s core protocol.
Ethereum Boosted by Base Layer Enhancements: 60 Million Gas Limit Achieved Through Technical Consensus
The initiative known as “Pump The Gas,” aimed at raising Ethereum’s block capacity, has yielded significant results. The gas limit has been increased from 45 million to 60 million gas per block. This substantial increase was made possible by the overwhelming agreement signaled by over 513,000 validators. An automatic switch occurred in November 2025, effectively doubling the execution capacity at the base layer.
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 2× increase in a single year — and it’s only the beginning. Link to Tweet
This initiative, spearheaded by individuals like Eric Connor and Mariano Conti, relied on decentralized mobilization, calling upon independent stakers, client teams, and pools to participate. The primary objectives were to reduce pressure on transaction fees, enhance network fluidity, and prepare for the next protocol upgrade.
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 2× increase in a single year — and it’s only the beginning.
Toni Wahrstätter
Smart Scaling: Ethereum Adopts a Strategy of Targeted Growth
Simply increasing block size is no longer considered sufficient. Vitalik Buterin has proposed a more refined approach that combines raising the gas limit with re-evaluating the cost of computationally intensive operations. The intention is to penalize heavy computations and memory accesses while simultaneously encouraging the development of more efficient smart contract designs.
Expect continued growth but more targeted / less uniform growth for next year. eg. one possible future is: 5x gas limit increase together with 5x gas cost increase for operations that are relatively inefficient to process. Link to Tweet
Potential targets for this adjustment include operations like SSTORE, CALLs to large contracts, precompiles, and MODMUL. This strategic shift repositions Ethereum as a more intelligent blockchain, rather than solely a more powerful one.
Vitalik Buterin elaborates on this strategy:
Expect continued growth but more targeted / less uniform growth for next year. eg. one possible future is: 5x gas limit increase together with 5x gas cost increase for operations that are relatively inefficient to process.
This transformation is not merely technical; it actively engages developers to reconsider the fundamental structure of their applications. It also lays the groundwork for sustainable scaling, moving away from the common side effect of the "bigger is always better" mentality.
Blockchain, Fusaka, and the Renewed Breath of the Ethereum Network
The upcoming Fusaka upgrade, scheduled for December 3, will officially integrate this new gas ceiling into the mainnet. This increase is projected to enhance Layer 1 capacity by 33%, with even more significant effects on Layer 2 solutions, potentially boosting throughput by up to 133% via rollups.
While competitors such as Solana focus on raw speed, Ethereum is adopting a hybrid strategy that balances robustness, security, and controlled scalability. In this context, protocols like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base are expected to benefit from the increased capacity provided by the foundational layer.
The introduction of data blobs through EIP-4844 also plays a crucial role. These blobs are less demanding and help to smooth out Layer 2 operations without placing an undue burden on the main chain. This multi-layer strategy contributes to making Ethereum less susceptible to congestion and better equipped for a mainstream decentralized finance future.
Key Takeaways
- •An increase to a 60 million gas limit was championed by 513,000 validators.
- •The price of ETH at the time of writing was $3,012.
- •A projected capacity increase of 33% on Layer 1 will be effective upon implementation.
- •The Fusaka upgrade is set to be activated on the Ethereum mainnet on December 3, 2025.
- •EIP-4844 and data blobs are supporting Layer 2 rollups.
The increase in the gas limit represents a significant advancement. However, it is not without potential risks. Three major threats loom: increasing centralization, the potential for hardware requirement overload, and the exclusion of smaller validators. The future of Ethereum will ultimately depend on its capacity to achieve a balance between inclusiveness, scalability, and resilience.