---
title: "Ethereum Foundation Sets Oct. 6 for Glamsterdam Upgrade on Sepolia"
description: "The testnet hard fork introduces enshrined proposer-builder separation and block-level access lists ahead of Hoodi and mainnet rollouts."
url: https://basisdesk.news/news/ethereum-schedules-glamsterdam-upgrade-sepolia-activation-6xzg40
published: 2026-09-29T11:01:31.442Z
modified: 2026-09-29T11:01:31.442Z
section: Ethereum & L2s
author: Basis Desk Newsroom (AI-generated, source-verified)
sentiment: neutral
tickers: [ETH, BTC]
tags: [glamsterdam, sepolia, epbs, layer-1, hard-fork, testnet]
license: Quote with attribution to Basis Desk (basisdesk.news). Not financial advice.
---

# Ethereum Foundation Sets Oct. 6 for Glamsterdam Upgrade on Sepolia

The testnet hard fork introduces enshrined proposer-builder separation and block-level access lists ahead of Hoodi and mainnet rollouts.

## Key points

- Glamsterdam will activate on the Sepolia testnet at epoch 353,024 on Oct. 6, 2026, at 13:53:36 UTC.
- The fork introduces enshrined proposer-builder separation (EIP-7732) and parallel-friendly block-level access lists (EIP-7928).
- Gas accounting changes in EIP-8037 and EIP-8038 will increase state creation costs and alter contract gas assumptions.

## Editorial remark

- **Context:** Glamsterdam follows Fusaka in Ethereum's core roadmap, seeking to resolve Layer 1 execution bottlenecks and reduce reliance on third-party block builder relays through in-protocol separation.
- **Impact:** Sepolia node operators and validators must upgrade consensus and execution clients before activation. Application developers face gas repricing that could break hardcoded contract assumptions.
- **Watch:** Client release deployments for Sepolia through Oct. 6, followed by developer decisions on scheduling activation dates for the Hoodi testnet and mainnet.

The Ethereum Foundation announced on Sept. 29 that the Glamsterdam network upgrade is scheduled to activate on the Sepolia testnet on Oct. 6, 2026, at 13:53:36 UTC [1]. The upgrade takes effect at epoch 353,024 and slot 11,296,768, marking the protocol's next major milestone following the Fusaka hard fork [1].

Glamsterdam merges the Amsterdam execution layer upgrade with the Gloas consensus layer upgrade under the EIP-7773 tracking specification [1]. The primary features include enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS) via EIP-7732 and block-level access lists (BALs) under EIP-7928 [1]. By incorporating ePBS directly into the consensus protocol, Ethereum handles payments to proposers natively, which reduces reliance on external trusted middleware and establishes a payload timeliness committee to oversee block delivery [1]. BALs mandate that blocks record accessed state locations, allowing clients to read state and execute validation in parallel to raise Layer 1 throughput [1].

## Gas Repricing and Client Readiness

The upgrade also revamps gas accounting rules to counter state growth and recalibrate compute costs [1]. EIP-8037 raises and separately meters state creation expenses, while EIP-8038 adjusts state-access costs alongside changes to intrinsic transaction gas, access lists, and calldata floors [1]. The Foundation warned application developers that smart contracts relying on fixed gas limits, stipends, or static assumptions about remaining gas may require modifications [1].

Activation timelines for the Hoodi testnet and Ethereum mainnet remain unconfirmed [1]. Operators running nodes or staking on Sepolia must update both their execution and consensus layer software ahead of the Oct. 6 deadline to avoid falling out of consensus [1]. At the time of writing, $ETH changed hands at $2,714, amid broader market strength with $BTC trading at $84,019.

## FAQ

**What actions do Ethereum mainnet users need to take?**

None. The scheduled activation applies exclusively to the Sepolia testnet. Mainnet schedules will be decided and announced at a later stage.

**What does enshrined proposer-builder separation (ePBS) change?**

EIP-7732 incorporates the builder-proposer division directly into Ethereum's consensus rules, automating payments to block proposers and lowering dependence on trusted external middleware.

## Sources

1. [Glamsterdam Testnet Announcement](https://blog.ethereum.org/en/2026/09/17/glamsterdam-testnet-announcement) — blog.ethereum.org, 2026-09-29

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Basis Desk Newsroom · AI-generated, source-verified · https://basisdesk.news/about/how-we-use-ai