Ethereum developers plan to release the Pectra update in two stages

Ethereum devs plan to split the Pectra update into two phases for a 2025 launch. The first phase is targeted for release by February, with June seen as the deadline. Pectra's upgrade includes Prague (executive) and Electro (compromise) layer upgrades.

Ethereum developers are planning to split the much-anticipated Pectra update into two phases to ensure they launch something as soon as possible to meet the community's expectations.

At a Sept. 12 meeting, developers discussed the possibility of launching Pectran's first phase as early as 2025, making the February target possible.

There is a broad consensus that if we diverge, the idea is to ship Pectra as soon as possible. Our goal is early next year,” he said at an Ethereum implementation layer meeting.

Developer Danno Ferrin suggested that the split would only be reasonable if the first phase could be delivered in the first quarter of 2025, while Ethereum researcher Ansgar Dietrichs warned that the upgrade would be considered a failure if the first phase is not delivered by June. According to Dietrichs, “A separation in which we only send the first half in June would be a failure.”

Industry experts share this sentiment, with Galaxy Crypto researcher Kristen Kim suggesting that the gap could be significant due to the complexity of Pectra's upgrades. She noted that the scope of the update could change significantly if developers opt for a two-phase rollout.

What is the Ethereum Pectra update?

The Pectra update, which combines two major components – the Prag update focused on the execution layer and the Electra update focused on the communication layer – promises to greatly improve the efficiency and operational efficiency of the Ethereum blockchain.

However, the complexity of the upgrade led to discussions about splitting it into two separate dry forks.

Despite the challenges, there is widespread optimism in the Ethereum community. Both Ethereum researcher Christine Kim and educator Sassal Pectra is shaping up to be one of the biggest upgrades in Ethereum history, with Sassal calling it the biggest upgrade to date.

A final decision on the Pectra upgrade distribution is expected to be made at the next Ethereum All Core Developers (ACD) meeting on September 19.