The Ethereum Foundation has declared its 2026 protocol priorities, emphasizing faster transactions, advanced smart wallets, and robust cross-chain capabilities. A key focus is preparing for the quantum computing era with enhanced security measures.
The foundation plans to increase the gas limit, a measure of computational work per block, aiming to exceed 100 million. This follows a productive 2025 which saw significant network upgrades and a doubling of the gas limit. The Glamsterdam network upgrade is slated for early 2026, with "post-quantum readiness" a critical component of its security initiative. A dedicated Post-Quantum (PQ) team has been established to address future cryptographic threats. User experience improvements, including native account abstraction for smarter wallets and seamless interoperability between Layer 2 solutions, are also high on the agenda. The long-term vision includes integrating Ethereum with artificial intelligence to enhance markets and human agency.