In February 2026, Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake released a draft roadmap called Strawmap, marking the first systematic blueprint for seven protocol forks planned through the end of 2029. Co-founder Vitalik Buterin quickly confirmed the feasibility of this timeline and described the cumulative effect as a "Ship of Theseus"-style reconstruction of Ethereum’s core. This roadmap not only schedules the Glamsterdam upgrade for the first half of 2026 and the Hegotá upgrade for the second half, but also formally elevates post-quantum cryptography from a "research topic" to an "upgrade target."
According to Gate market data, as of April 16, 2026, the Ethereum price stands at $2,357.47, with a market capitalization of approximately $271.24 billion and a market share of about 10.58%.
The Birth of Strawmap and the Roadmap Overview
Strawmap was released by the Ethereum Foundation protocol team following an internal workshop in January 2026. The name combines "strawman" (preliminary concept) and "roadmap," highlighting its exploratory nature—plans are subject to change as development progresses and are not final. The document clearly states it is not an "official" roadmap, but rather an "accelerationist coordination tool" for researchers, developers, and governance participants, with quarterly updates expected based on community feedback and R&D progress.
The roadmap outlines five core objectives: faster L1 (finality in seconds), "Gigagas" L1 with 10,000 TPS via zkEVM, high-throughput L2 enabled by data availability sampling, post-quantum cryptography, and native privacy transfer functionality. Strawmap schedules seven forks through 2029, advancing roughly every six months. Glamsterdam and Hegotá are already confirmed for implementation in 2026.
From Fusaka to 2029: Ethereum’s Upgrade Cadence
Ethereum’s technical evolution is undergoing a structural shift in cadence. In 2025, Ethereum successfully delivered the Pectra and Fusaka hard forks, validating the feasibility of a "six-month cycle" for development. The Fusaka upgrade introduced an independent fork mechanism for Blob parameters, allowing Ethereum to adjust Blob counts without waiting for a full hard fork. Currently, each block targets 14 Blobs, with a maximum of 21, expanding L2 data availability space by 2.3 times compared to before.
Building on this, Strawmap extends the upgrade sequence through 2029. Consensus layer forks adopt a star-themed naming scheme with incrementing initials: Altair, Bellatrix, Capella, Deneb, Electra, Fulu, followed by Glamsterdam, Hegotá, and subsequent I, J, K, L forks. The two confirmed forks for 2026 are Glamsterdam (first half) and Hegotá (second half), with L* as a special fork focused on "streamlined consensus."
Glamsterdam and Hegotá have a progressive technical relationship: Glamsterdam addresses "how to make the network faster," while Hegotá answers "how to make the network lighter and more sustainable." The Ethereum Foundation has outlined three tracks for 2026 protocol work: Scale (integrating L1 execution and Blob expansion), Improve UX (focusing on native account abstraction and cross-chain interoperability), and Harden the L1 (enhancing security, censorship resistance, and network resilience).
The Technical Core of Seven Forks: Parallelization, Lightweight Design, and Quantum Defense
Glamsterdam: Parallel Processing and Consensus Layer Reshaping
Glamsterdam is Ethereum’s key upgrade for the first half of 2026, currently progressing "slowly but steadily." The upgrade centers on three main goals: accelerating processing via parallelization, expanding capacity through protocol-embedded role separation, and preventing database bloat with gas repricing.
Glamsterdam’s flagship feature is ePBS (Encapsulated Proposer-Builder Separation, EIP-7732). Currently, Ethereum’s block construction relies heavily on external relay networks, with most validators no longer building blocks themselves but depending on a few specialized builders for transaction ordering and block packaging, resulting in de facto power concentration. ePBS embeds builder interaction rules directly in the consensus layer, automating block bidding and selection, eliminating reliance on external trusted relays. By introducing a Payload Timeliness Committee and dual deadline logic, ePBS extends the data propagation window from about 2 seconds to roughly 9 seconds, enabling larger Blob data processing. Research estimates that protocol-level PBS integration can reduce MEV extraction by about 70%.
The execution layer’s headline feature is Block Access Lists (BALs, EIP-7928). Currently, Ethereum processes transactions serially—nodes cannot predict which account states a transaction will read or modify, so they execute transactions sequentially. BALs require each block to predefine all state hashes accessed by transactions and their post-execution results, providing nodes a "dependency map" so non-conflicting transactions can be allocated to different CPU cores for parallel execution. Combined with the eth/71 network protocol upgrade, nodes can synchronize unrelated state, greatly lowering the barrier for new nodes joining the network.
Meanwhile, a multidimensional gas mechanism will debut in Glamsterdam. The current single-dimensional gas model prices all computation, storage, and bandwidth resources uniformly, often distorting resource pricing. After reform, state creation gas will be measured separately and excluded from the current ~16,000,000 transaction gas limit, with a "reservoir" mechanism addressing EVM subcall issues. The gas limit is planned to increase from 60,000,000 to 200,000,000, theoretically raising TPS from around 1,000 to nearly 10,000. With gas repricing, a Uniswap transaction that currently costs $3–8 may drop below $1 after the upgrade.
For zkEVM verification clients, the Ethereum Foundation has committed to a phased rollout: in 2026, clients will be allowed to participate as provers; in 2027, a larger portion of the network will be encouraged to run zkEVM and focus on formal verification; eventually, a 5-of-3 mandatory proof mechanism will be adopted. Glamsterdam will mark the first transition of zkEVM from academic papers to testnet and possibly mainnet prototypes.
Hegotá: State Lightweighting and Censorship Resistance
Hegotá, scheduled for the second half of 2026, shifts its core focus to "state lightweighting" and long-term L1 hardening. As of April 2026, Hegotá’s core features have been finalized—FOCIL (Forced Inclusion Fork Inclusion List, EIP-7805) is the consensus layer’s headline feature.
FOCIL is a protocol-level forced transaction inclusion mechanism: a randomly selected prover committee ensures all valid transactions must be included in blocks; if necessary transactions are missing, the network will reject the block outright. Vitalik Buterin publicly supports this proposal, noting that with account abstraction upgrades, valid transactions can be guaranteed confirmation within one or two slots. This mechanism directly addresses prior incidents where some validators refused to process transactions related to sanctioned addresses (such as Tornado Cash), aiming to enforce censorship resistance at the protocol level.
Hegotá’s most anticipated technical breakthrough is the introduction of Verkle trees. Compared to the current Merkle Patricia trees, Verkle trees can compress block witness size from over 10KB to under 1KB, reducing node storage requirements by about 90% and paving the way for stateless clients. Additionally, the state expiration mechanism will archive and prune outdated, infrequently accessed state data, curbing the long-standing issue of state bloat.
Quantum Resistance: A Phased Security Strategy
Quantum resistance is a central goal throughout Ethereum’s Strawmap roadmap. Vitalik Buterin has warned that quantum computers could threaten Ethereum’s current security model as early as 2028. In response, the Ethereum Foundation has formed a dedicated post-quantum team, launched biweekly technical workshops, established a $1,000,000 prize pool, and plans to host the second Post-Quantum Research Retreat in Cambridge in October 2026.
Strawmap’s core task is to gradually replace the quantum-vulnerable BLS signatures and KZG commitments with post-quantum signature schemes based on hash or lattice cryptography. Buterin highlights a key design: slots will prioritize quantum resistance ahead of finality. Currently, Ethereum’s block slot is about 12 seconds, while transaction finality requires around 16 minutes. The new roadmap plans to compress slot length using a "square root 2 decrement" formula—reducing from 12 seconds to 8, 6, 4, and ultimately 2 seconds; finality will be shortened to 6–16 seconds.
The core value of this "decoupled" design is that even if quantum computers suddenly emerge and temporarily undermine finality guarantees, the main chain can continue producing blocks based on quantum-resistant slots, ensuring the network does not stall. Buterin further explains: "This is a very radical transformation, planning to combine the largest steps in each change with cryptographic transitions, especially switching to post-quantum hash signatures and adopting maximally STARK-friendly hashes."
Community Perspectives: Consensus and Execution Divergence
Technical direction enjoys broad consensus, but execution cadence is debated
Following Strawmap’s release, most developers agree that including quantum resistance in a clear timeline is a necessary defensive measure. Ethereum’s official documentation notes that while quantum computers may take years to become a real threat, the design lifespan of public blockchains should be measured in "centuries," requiring early preparations.
However, some are cautious about the "four years, seven forks" execution cadence. Each fork involves coordinated updates across all full node clients, and cryptographic algorithm switches are "intrusive changes" that may introduce unknown vulnerabilities. Strawmap’s designation as a draft reflects the development team’s sober awareness of execution risks.
Framework Transactions Downgraded: Idealism vs. Reality
On March 26, 2026, Ethereum core developers voted not to include Vitalik Buterin’s "Framework Transactions" (EIP-8141) as a core feature of the Hegotá upgrade, citing excessive complexity and potential disruption to the overall upgrade schedule. The proposal was downgraded from a "main agenda" item to a "considered inclusion" secondary proposal.
Framework transactions aim to integrate native account abstraction with post-quantum signature schemes. Supporters argue this is crucial for Ethereum’s long-term user experience and security. Biconomy’s co-founder warned that rejecting the proposal would hinder improvements and innovation in Ethereum’s user experience. However, Nethermind client developers noted that prioritizing it would mean "delays until it’s ready," risking major setbacks for Hegotá. Ultimately, FOCIL was confirmed as Hegotá’s sole main feature, with account abstraction relegated to the secondary feature set. Developers committed to ongoing follow-up, but there is no clear timeline for native mainnet implementation. This episode highlights a fundamental tension in Ethereum’s development: balancing feature innovation with a stable, predictable upgrade cadence.
Quantum Security Urgency: Insurance Policy or Resource Drain?
The community is divided on the urgency of post-quantum security. Some developers believe quantum computing’s threat to elliptic curve cryptography is still 10–15 years away, and allocating resources now may divert attention from more pressing scalability work. Others follow Buterin’s "walkaway test"—requiring Ethereum to operate securely for at least 100 years after core developers "walk away," positioning quantum resistance as a necessary long-term foundational investment. The Ethereum Foundation frames post-quantum security as an insurance policy, leveraging account abstraction to provide a cleaner migration path for quantum-resistant signatures.
Assessing the Roadmap’s Real Commitments
From a technical standpoint, Ethereum’s shift toward post-quantum cryptography is inevitable. The vulnerabilities of current BLS and KZG schemes are well-known mathematical facts, not marketing spin. The Ethereum Foundation has published extensive research papers and technical specs (such as leanSpec and leanSig) and established a layered transition roadmap covering execution, consensus, and data layers.
However, several distinctions are critical:
First, Strawmap remains a draft. Its "strawman" label signals a "deliberately imperfect, open-for-critique preliminary proposal." The four-year, seven-fork cadence may be adjusted based on development challenges or community disagreements.
Second, Glamsterdam’s rollout faces practical hurdles. The Ethereum Foundation’s April Checkpoint #9 notes that Glamsterdam development is "slow but steady," with ePBS implementation proving more complex than expected. The protocol layer must handle "partial blocks" and two-party coordination, touching nearly every aspect of the technical stack. Some analysts believe a Q2 launch is unlikely.
Third, "implementation" of quantum-resistant features should be understood as "initiating gradual deployment," not a sudden overnight switch. Issues like the efficiency of quantum-resistant signature schemes and compatibility with existing smart contracts still require validation on real testnets.
Structural Impact of the Roadmap on the Industry
If Strawmap proceeds as planned, Ethereum will undergo structural changes across multiple dimensions.
Security baseline redefined. Post-quantum signatures will become standard for L1 security, forcing applications and wallet providers to upgrade their cryptographic components. Some projects have already launched post-quantum wallets compatible with Falcon-512 signatures, signaling ecosystem readiness.
Performance leap. Slot times shortened to 2 seconds and finality compressed to seconds will greatly enhance user experience. Slippage risk in decentralized exchanges, fund lock times in cross-chain bridges, and payment wait anxiety will all be significantly alleviated. This will help Ethereum narrow the experience gap with high-performance public chains.
Upgrade methodology evolution. Fixed "six-month fork" intervals mark Ethereum’s shift from "major event upgrades" to "continuous iteration." This cadence aligns more closely with agile internet product development, offering predictable windows for L2 parameter adjustments, wallet adaptation, and institutional risk assessment. Whether this can be sustained in a decentralized community remains to be seen.
Value narrative reshaped. With Glamsterdam and Hegotá driving substantial mainnet throughput improvements, Ethereum is partially returning to a value narrative centered on the mainnet itself. Early this year, Vitalik Buterin noted that many L2 networks "haven’t truly scaled Ethereum," and their increasing reliance on centralized components strains the mainnet’s decentralization principles. This signals a strategic shift from "L2 as the core scaling vehicle" to "mainnet and L2 co-evolution."
Conclusion
The release of Strawmap marks Ethereum’s transition from "research exploration" to "engineering delivery." Glamsterdam and Hegotá, as the two pivotal upgrades of 2026, integrate parallel processing, protocol-embedded role separation, censorship resistance, and post-quantum cryptography into a logically coherent technical evolution. However, executing the roadmap is far from straightforward—engineering complexity of ePBS, the controversy over framework transactions, and the efficiency of large-scale quantum resistance deployment all pose real challenges. For Ethereum, Strawmap is both an ambitious construction blueprint and a test of replacing every plank of the ship while sailing. Its outcome will profoundly shape the infrastructure landscape of the entire crypto industry over the next four to five years.
