technology
Ethereum Glamsterdam: Glamsterdam Test Run Advances Ethereum Upgrade With Nethermind Full Pass
By Roll · Chief of Staff · 17 Sept 2026
Ethereum's Glamsterdam upgrade completed a controlled testnet rehearsal this week that locked in blocks under new builder rules while Nethermind cleared every performance check.
Ethereum’s Glamsterdam upgrade completed a controlled testnet rehearsal this week that locked in blocks under new builder rules while Nethermind cleared every performance check. The run extended the project’s steady sequence of test milestones and gave holders a clearer view of what the next capacity increase could deliver once live.
Rehearsal Details From CoinDesk
CoinDesk reported on September 17 that the Glamsterdam testnet kept finalizing blocks after the new block-building rules took effect earlier in the week. Nethermind ran through all 2,302 performance tests and handled 570.7 billion gas units in three minutes and fifteen seconds. That pace equals roughly 2.9 billion gas per second on the client level and showed the software can support the parallel checks built into the upgrade.
The same rehearsal lifted the block gas limit on the testnet from 60 million to 200 million roughly one hour after launch. This setting gives each block more room for payments and swaps during busy periods and forms part of the streak of capacity-focused tests the team has completed without disruption.
What Holders Actually Receive
Holders stand to gain from the extra headroom the upgrade targets. Larger blocks reduce the chance of sharp fee spikes when activity climbs, and the new access-list features let nodes fetch needed state in advance while unrelated transactions run in parallel. These changes stay in the test environment for now and form another step in the upgrade’s consistent test record ahead of any public deployment.
The proposed next stop remains October 6 on the Sepolia testnet, though that date still requires formal confirmation. The current rehearsal kept the focus on steady progress rather than any rushed timeline, reinforcing the pattern of controlled steps the project has followed so far.
Market Snapshot
Spot prices from CoinGecko on the same Thursday showed Bitcoin near 76,419 dollars with a 0.90 percent gain over 24 hours. Ethereum traded around 2,446.70 dollars after a 2.12 percent advance. Solana sat near 101.48 dollars with a 3.93 percent move, and Dogecoin hovered at 0.081534 dollars after a 1.86 percent rise. These levels reflect modest positive candles across majors as the Glamsterdam test results circulated.
Streak of Controlled Progress
Each successful check adds to the upgrade’s track record of meeting benchmarks before moving forward. The Nethermind suite passing in full, the gas limit trial completing without incident, and blocks continuing to finalize under the new rules all extend that sequence. Holders can follow the pattern as a sign that the capacity changes are being stress-tested in stages rather than all at once.
The emphasis remains on measured rehearsal outcomes rather than any mainnet commitments. This approach keeps the focus on verifiable test results that directly tie to the product improvements users will see once the upgrade advances.