tl;dr
The Ethereum Pectra hard fork, implemented via EIP-7691 on May 7, doubled the default blob count in Ethereum blocks from three to six and raised the maximum from six to nine. A report by ethPandaOps monitoring 123 Beacon-chain nodes across 27 countries showed that the update operates within expected...
Ethereum’s Pectra update, implemented via EIP-7691 on May 7, successfully doubled the default blob count in Ethereum blocks from three to six and increased the maximum from six to nine. This enhancement operates within expected parameters, effectively validating network edge bandwidth models and paving the way toward the upcoming Fusaka upgrade featuring PeerDAS integration for improved data availability and higher gas limits.
A comprehensive report by ethPandaOps, monitoring 123 Beacon-chain nodes across 27 countries, found that home-user nodes processed blocks within the critical four-second “New Head” window 99.5% of the time. Stress tests revealed nodes could manage up to 14 blobs before timing out, well above the current nine-blob limit. Relay blocks, which constitute 91% of main-chain blocks and involve a bid-acceptance process with MEV-Boost relays, performed slightly slower but remained within acceptable thresholds.
The report advised pausing any further gas limit increases until the PeerDAS data availability system is deployed in the Fusaka hard fork. PeerDAS aims to reduce bandwidth demands per block, allowing for higher gas limits and blob counts in the future. The telemetry from the initial week after Pectra’s deployment demonstrates that the 6/9 blob schedule works as designed, offering client teams the breathing room to concentrate on the Fusaka upgrade’s data availability improvements without immediate pressure on bandwidth constraints.
In summary, Ethereum’s Pectra update is functioning effectively, doubling blob capacity and validating prior network models, thereby moving the protocol steadily toward the Fusaka upgrade, which promises to further enhance scalability and efficiency in data availability and transaction throughput.