The Ethereum Foundation has published its 2026 protocol priorities, putting the spotlight on two major upgrades: Glamsterdam in the first half of 2026 and Hegotá later in the year. The roadmap extends work completed in 2025 and centers on scaling, core security, and user experience improvements.
2025 upgrades set the base for the next cycle
The update looks back at two key network upgrades delivered in 2025. Pectra went live in May and introduced EIP-7702, allowing accounts to execute smart contract code. In December, Fusaka rolled out PeerDAS, cutting validator data bandwidth requirements while increasing potential blob capacity.
Those releases were tied to broader gains across the network. Developer work in 2025 improved validator performance and expanded throughput potential, creating the technical base for the scaling and usability goals now ranked as priorities for the coming year.
Glamsterdam and Hegotá will drive the 2026 roadmap
Under the new schedule, Glamsterdam comes first, with Hegotá following later in 2026. The Foundation’s stated objective is direct: make Ethereum more efficient, more secure, and more resilient as the ecosystem grows. The roadmap also puts added weight on native account abstraction and stronger cross-chain tooling, aimed at simplifying both development and end-user interaction.
That gives the 2026 agenda a wider scope than raw performance alone. Account design, tooling, and cross-chain usability are all being treated as protocol-level priorities.
Bearish pennant forms as price pressure builds
While developers push ahead on long-range protocol work, ETH market structure is showing rising downside risk. According to the report, ETH has formed a bearish pennant on the charts, a classic continuation pattern that traders often read as a sign the existing downtrend may extend.
The setup emerged after a sequence of lower highs and lower lows, with price action compressing into a tightening range as volatility faded. In market terms, that pattern is commonly associated with persistent weakness. For Ethereum, protocol progress and price pressure are now unfolding at the same time.