The Ethereum network is constantly evolving, and developers are already looking ahead to the next massive milestone. Right now, core developers are actively reviewing 66 different proposals to carefully define the scope of the upcoming Hegotá upgrade. Expected to roll out next year, this major network update is primarily focused on bringing much-needed native privacy to Ethereum applications.
How the Hegotá Upgrade Will Transform Ethereum Privacy
Out of the dozens of ideas on the table, only one Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) has officially secured its spot in the Hegotá upgrade so far. Known as FOCIL (Fork-choice enforced inclusion lists), this mechanism allows a dedicated committee of validators to force pending transactions into blocks. In simple terms, FOCIL is designed to significantly boost the network’s resistance to censorship, ensuring transactions cannot be easily blocked or ignored.
However, the community is pushing for even more robust privacy features to join the roster. Ethereum Foundation contributor Toni Wahrstätter recently highlighted three other crucial proposals that belong in this upgrade: Frame Transactions (EIP-8141), Keyed Nonces (EIP-8250), and Recent Roots for Frame Transactions (EIP-8272). If developers approve these additions, they will unlock native privacy primitives at the protocol level. This means privacy-focused decentralized applications could operate smoothly and securely without having to rely on third-party intermediaries.
The final decisions regarding these 66 proposals are actively being shaped right now. Upcoming core developer calls will dictate the network’s exact development trajectory for 2027. Fortunately, the ideas that do not make the final cut for Hegotá aren’t gone forever; they will likely be reconsidered for future network updates.
Setting the Stage with the Glamsterdam Upgrade in 2026
While Hegotá is dominating discussions about Ethereum’s long-term future, developers have their hands full with a more immediate and highly anticipated priority. Before Hegotá can launch in 2027, the network must first successfully implement the Glamsterdam upgrade. Scheduled for a mainnet launch in the second half of 2026, Glamsterdam is widely considered one of the most consequential updates of the year.
This preliminary upgrade is built to tackle some of the network’s most pressing foundational issues. Glamsterdam will focus heavily on improving overall scalability, hardening the security of the foundational layer-1 blockchain, and making the network significantly easier for everyday people to use. By laying this critical structural groundwork today, Ethereum developers are ensuring the platform is fully prepared to handle the advanced privacy and censorship-resistant features that Hegotá will introduce next year.
