Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin has been quite active on social media recently, first reflecting on the previous direction of Layer2, and then outlining a new plan for Ethereum's future.

This has generated more anticipation for the Ethereum Glamsterdam upgrade in the first half of this year. What are the key components of Glamsterdam, the most important update for Ethereum this year?

Looking at the "Predecessor" to Understand the "Current"

Before understanding Glamsterdam, we need to comprehend its "predecessor" — the Fusaka upgrade.

Fusaka is a data layer upgrade for Ethereum. It introduces two key features: PeerDAS and EOF.

PeerDAS: There is no need to download all the data; only a small part is needed. It’s like a sampling survey, where you don't need to ask everyone, just a small group to infer the condition of the whole population. Coupled with ZK proofs, even just downloading 1/16th of the total data can confirm data integrity, significantly enhancing Ethereum's network throughput.

EOF: It can be understood as an internal reform of the EVM. It makes the code structure of the EVM clearer, more modular, and easier to optimize. EOF is like a "renovation" of the EVM, making its internal structure more reasonable.

If Fusaka is a "data layer upgrade," then Glamsterdam is an "execution layer upgrade." Fusaka mainly tackles "how to transmit data," while Glamsterdam aims to solve "who produces the blocks."

The Core of Glamsterdam — ePBS and BAL

ePBS separates the processes of block packaging and validation — block builders are responsible for packaging transactions, proposers propose the blocks, and validators verify the blocks. Each role fulfills its own responsibilities; if they do their part well, then block builders can be more aggressive in packaging more transactions because proposers and validators will help check, alleviating security concerns.

Can the current Ethereum achieve this? Yes, but it relies on relays like Flashbots to separate "proposal" and "construction." Validators only propose blocks, while builders package transactions to earn MEV (maximum extractable value).

This creates a black box; relying on third-party relays can lead to failures, censorship, attacks, or centralization.

ePBS integrates this power separation mechanism into the protocol (EIP-7732), transforming it into "on-chain auctions + protocol enforcement," resolving trust issues while enhancing network efficiency.

The Block Access List (BAL) enables block packagers to inform validators in advance: "The transactions in this block will access these accounts and storage locations." With this information, validators can prepare ahead of time, loading this data from disk into memory. Then, validators can check multiple transactions in parallel instead of checking them one by one. It’s like an assembly line in a factory: previously, one worker was responsible for the entire product, now multiple workers handle different parts simultaneously.

The combination of these two elements creates a dual enhancement — improved efficiency and resistance to censorship.

However, for ePBS to fully realize its potential, another piece of the puzzle is needed — Fork Choice Mandatory Inclusion List (FOCIL). FOCIL allows validators to publish a list of transactions that "must be included." If builders do not include these transactions, validators can reject the block based on fork choice rules. This gives validators a "final line of defense" against excessive censorship by builders.

However, simultaneously launching ePBS and FOCIL will be highly complex. Therefore, the arrival of FOCIL will have to wait until the second upgrade of this year, Hegotá.

Potential Impacts of Glamsterdam

In addition to ePBS and BAL, gas fee repricing + multi-dimensional gas will also be included in the Glamsterdam upgrade, making transactions cheaper for regular users, further enhancing the network’s overall capacity, but this comes at a cost of higher fees for some developers (those needing to build new states).

For stakers, the income model becomes clearer, with greater block selection rights and smoother MEV earnings. This also means changes in the MEV ecosystem, where some applications relying on current methods for earning MEV may face adjustments.

As the power of validators grows, new application opportunities will emerge. For instance, there may be new "validator service" applications to help validators better select blocks.

But the Glamsterdam upgrade is certainly not perfect. As mentioned earlier, even though ePBS will arrive in the upgrade, it remains a form without FOCIL. The complexity of this update is quite high, granting more power to validators. Besides the stability after practical implementation, whether decentralization will lead to a new form of centralization at the validator level is another area worth monitoring.

Vitalik also admitted, "ePBS only prevents builder centralization from spreading to the staking layer, but the issue of block builder centralization itself remains." Toxic MEV (sandwich attacks, frontrunning) may just continue to "exist in a different place."

However, in the long run, the greatest significance of the Glamsterdam upgrade may be "decentralization." Vitalik's devotion to decentralization theory and idealism may increase traditional finance's and the world's trust in Ethereum's adoption, and time may give a true answer to this devotion reflected in Ethereum's price.

Since last year, major updates for Ethereum have increased to two per year. No longer lying dormant, Ethereum, which has begun to "race against time," may truly reclaim its glory.

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