Ethereum Developers Confirm ‘Hegota’ Upgrade as 2026 Roadmap Takes Shape

Post-Glamsterdam Ethereum Upgrade Signals Continued Twice-Yearly Network Evolution

Ethereum developers have formally named the blockchain’s post Glamsterdam network upgrade “Hegota,” offering early insight into how Ethereum’s 2026 development roadmap is beginning to crystallize. The announcement reflects the network’s commitment to a predictable, twice-annual upgrade cadence as Ethereum continues refining scalability, efficiency and decentralization.

The name Hegota combines two established naming traditions. “Bogota” represents the execution layer, following Devcon host city conventions, while “Heze” refers to the consensus layer, continuing the practice of using star-inspired names. Developers confirmed that no headline Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) has been selected yet, with a decision expected in February as planning remains in its early stages.

The naming decision was finalized during the final All Core Developers Execution (ACDE) call of the year. Developer meetings will resume in early January, focusing first on finalizing the scope of Glamsterdam, Ethereum’s first planned upgrade of 2026.

With multiple upgrades successfully shipped in 2025, Ethereum has effectively transitioned into its biannual hard fork rhythm. Under this model, Glamsterdam is expected in the first half of 2026, while Hegota would likely follow in the second half of the year.

Although details remain fluid, Verkle Trees, a critical step toward fully stateless Ethereum clients, are frequently mentioned as a potential candidate for one of the 2026 upgrades. Other areas under discussion include state and history expiry mechanisms, execution-layer optimizations, and reducing long-term node storage burdens.

In parallel, Glamsterdam is being shaped around Layer 1 efficiency and builder decentralization. Proposals under review include enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS), block-level access lists, and gas cost adjustments. More complex changes, such as reducing slot times, have already been deferred and may roll into Hegota if timelines tighten.

The emergence of Hegota fits into Ethereum’s broader multi-phase roadmap following The Merge, with upcoming phases emphasizing scalability, statelessness, protocol cleanup and long-term simplification. Together, these upgrades aim to keep Ethereum resilient as usage and rollup activity continue to grow.

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