Ethereum’s core developers have officially named the blockchain’s next major upgrade after Glamsterdam, offering a clearer view into how the network’s 2026 development cycle is shaping up. The post-Glamsterdam upgrade will be called Hegota, continuing Ethereum’s structured, twice-a-year release cadence.
The name Hegota combines two traditions within Ethereum’s upgrade process. On the execution layer, it references “Bogota,” following the long-standing practice of naming upgrades after Devcon host cities. On the consensus layer, it draws from “Heze,” named after a star. The decision was confirmed during Thursday’s All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) call, which also marked the final meeting of the year.
While the name is now set, developers emphasized that Hegota remains in the early planning stage. The headline Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) for the upgrade will not be selected until February. For now, attention remains focused on Glamsterdam, Ethereum’s first scheduled upgrade of 2026, whose scope developers aim to finalize when ACDE calls resume on January 5.
A predictable upgrade rhythm takes hold
Hegota’s announcement reflects Ethereum’s growing confidence in its upgrade process. After shipping the Pectra and Fusaka upgrades in 2025, the network has effectively entered its intended rhythm of two upgrades per year. This approach favors smaller, more predictable changes over infrequent, sweeping overhauls.
If the cadence holds, Glamsterdam is expected to land in the first half of 2026, with Hegota following later in the year. Developers say this structure allows long-term roadmap goals to progress steadily, while also giving flexibility to defer more complex proposals when needed.
Early ideas for Hegota
Although no features have been formally assigned to Hegota, several recurring themes are already part of the conversation. One frequently mentioned candidate is Verkle Trees, a key building block for fully stateless Ethereum clients. Their inclusion would significantly reduce storage requirements for nodes and make it easier for more participants to help secure the network.
Other potential areas of focus include state and history expiry mechanisms, as well as further execution-layer optimizations. Discussions around state expiry have gained momentum following recent proposals from the Ethereum Foundation, which warned that growing state size is placing increasing strain on node operators.
Glamsterdam still in the spotlight
At the same time, developers continue refining Glamsterdam’s scope. Proposals still under consideration include enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS), designed to reduce centralization risks in block production, and block-level access lists aimed at easing state access bottlenecks. Gas repricing changes to better align costs with actual resource usage are also being evaluated.
More ambitious changes, such as reducing slot times, have already been postponed to future cycles. Any proposals that prove too complex for Glamsterdam’s timeline could ultimately be rolled into Hegota instead.
Part of a longer Ethereum journey
The unveiling of Hegota also fits into Ethereum’s broader, multi-year technical roadmap. Since The Merge in 2022 transitioned the network to proof-of-stake, development has progressed through clearly defined phases known as The Surge, The Verge, The Purge, and The Splurge.
Fusaka advanced The Surge by boosting data availability for rollups, while Glamsterdam aims to further improve Layer 1 efficiency without increasing centralization. Potential Verkle Tree integration in Hegota aligns closely with The Verge, which focuses on statelessness and easier verification. Later phases will address historical cleanup and long-term simplification of the protocol.
