Share this article
Ethereum Developers Target March 2023 for Release of Staked Ether
Staked ETH withdrawals are coming in the spring, while "proto-danksharding" will follow in the subsequent hard fork in the fall.
Updated Apr 9, 2024, 11:02 p.m. Published Dec 8, 2022, 3:39 p.m.
Make us preferred on Google
Ethereum developers determined on Thursday that the network’s next hard fork, called “Shanghai,” will have a target release time frame of March 2023. This upgrade will include code known as EIP 4895 that will allow Beacon Chain staked ether withdrawals.
Developers also agreed to address the implementation of the "EVM Object Format" (EOF) in Shanghai, which is a collection of EIPs that essentially upgrade the Ethereum Virtual Machine, the environment where Ethereum is able to execute smart contracts. Those Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) are EIP 3540, EIP 3670, EIP 4200, EIP 4570, EIP 5450.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
If EOF seems too complicated to implement by the next All Core Developers call planned for Jan. 5, developers agreed they will push back EOF to the fall, so they don’t delay staked ETH withdrawals.
Developers also agreed to a second hard fork sometime in the fall of 2023 that would address another significant scaling upgrade – proto-danksharding, also known as EIP 4844. EIP 4844 would make Ethereum more scalable through sharding, a method that splits up the network into “shards” as a way to increase its capacity and bring down gas fees.
The two forks will give developers enough time to focus on each issue and alleviate stress for those who have their ETH (and any accrued rewards) locked in the Beacon Chain staking smart contract.
Read more: Anxious Ethereum Stakers Question When They’ll Be Able to Access Funds
What happens next?
Now that the full scope of what will be included in Shanghai is mostly settled, Ethereum developers will go ahead and work on testing the code.
Last month, Ethereum developers launched the Shandong testnet, aimed at resolving any bugs related to some of the EIPs they might have included in Shanghai, but that testnet has now been deprecated. Following Thursday’s call, developers are aiming to launch a new public testnet for Shanghai around Dec.15-16.
Ethereum developers will focus their efforts over the next month on making Shanghai as smooth as possible and will aim to start mainnet shadow forks in mid- to late January.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Ethereum Foundation makes post quantum security a top priority as new team forms
EF researcher Justin Drake says a new post-quantum team will drive wallet safety upgrades, research prizes and test networks as quantum timelines shorten.
What to know:
- The Ethereum Foundation has elevated post-quantum security to a top strategic priority, forming a dedicated Post Quantum team led by Thomas Coratger with support from leanVM cryptographer Emile.
- Researcher Justin Drake said Ethereum is shifting from background research to active engineering, including biweekly developer sessions on post-quantum transactions and multi-client post-quantum consensus test networks.
- The foundation is backing new cryptography with funding and outreach, launching two $1 million prizes, planning post-quantum community events and education, and stressing that blockchains must prepare early for quantum threats despite their long-term nature.
Top Stories
