Ethereum (ETH -0.53%), the world's largest developer-oriented blockchain, will execute its long-awaited "Glamsterdam" network upgrade in October. It's expected to be Ethereum's biggest upgrade since "The Merge," which transformed it from an energy-intensive proof-of-work (PoW) blockchain to an energy-efficient proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain in 2022. Let's see how Glamsterdam will improve Ethereum, and whether it will boost Ether's long-term value.
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What will the Glamsterdam upgrade do?
Ethereum has two "brains": the execution layer and the consensus layer. The execution layer handles everything its users and developers interact with: smart contracts, decentralized apps, and token transfers. The consensus layer, which works behind the scenes, handles the network's security, agreement, and coordination between validators.
Glamsterdam combines the "Amsterdam" update for its execution layer with the "Gloas" update for its consensus layer. For Amsterdam, it will add Parallel Processing to execute multiple transactions simultaneously rather than sequentially. It will also adjust its storage pricing to reduce network congestion. For Gloas, it will allow validators to assemble their blocks directly within Ethereum's core protocol rather than through third-party middleman relays. That change makes its validation process more secure and eliminates its dependence on external software, while shortening the critical "block propagation" window from nine seconds to just two seconds.
CRYPTO: ETH
Key Data Points
Unlike Ethereum's post-Merge updates, which improved the blockchain with modular upgrades, Glamsterdam rewrites its foundational architecture by breaking structural bottlenecks that had prevented developers from raising the gas limit. By increasing the gas limit, Ethereum reduces its gas fees for each transaction -- making it more scalable for its developers and users.
Why could this be a game changer for Ether?
After Ethereum transitioned to PoS, it could no longer be mined like Bitcoin (BTC -0.84%). Instead, its value was defined by the number of developers.
As more decentralized apps use Ether to fund their transactions, the token's value should increase. By making Ethereum's network faster, cheaper to scale, and more structurally secure, the Glamsterdam upgrade should make Ether more valuable.
That upgrade should also increase the stickiness of its ecosystem and widen its moat against newer and faster PoS blockchains like Solana (SOL -1.63%). So if you believe Ethereum will remain the largest developer-oriented blockchain, it makes sense to accumulate more Ether while it's still trading 45% below its all-time high.
Ether, like most other cryptocurrencies, should remain under pressure this year as rising interest rates drive investors toward more conservative investments. Therefore, investors shouldn't expect the Glamsterdam update to immediately drive Ether's price to fresh all-time highs. However, if you can separate the hype from the real long-term catalysts, it could be smart to buy more Ether before this foundational upgrade.
