Ethereum is launching the Hoodi testnet, with Pectra set to go live on the mainnet more than 30 days after Hoodi successfully forks.Ethereum’s Pectra deployment is looming, currently slated for the mainnet deployment for late April. In the run-up to the mainnet deployment, Ethereum (ETH) has been running tests to evaluate implementation of its various features on testnets. The two most recent testnet deployments were on Holesky on Feb. 24 and then Sepolia on March 5. On March 17, Ethereum will launch another testnet Hoodi to test validator exists, according to Ethereum developer Tim Beiko. If testing on Hoodi is successful, Pectra can be deployed on the mainnet 30+ days after Hoodi forks.

Among the key changes in the Pectra upgrade is introduction of account abstraction (EIP-7702), which will allow users to pay transaction fees with coins like USD Coin (USDC) instead of ETH. Additionally, the upgrade will roll out Staking Enhancements (EIP – 7251), increasing validator staking limit from 32 to 2048 ETH.

Apart from EIP-7702 and EIP-7251, which are the key highlights of the Pectra upgrade, other major EIPs include EIP-7691, EIP-7623, EIP-2537, and EIP-7549. EIP-7691 proposes an update to improve transaction scalability and reduce network congestion. EIP-7623 aims to enhance privacy by allowing users to hide certain transaction details. EIP-2537 focuses on optimizing contract execution, reducing gas costs, and improving the efficiency of smart contract operations. EIP-7549 seeks to improve the interoperability between different Ethereum layer 2 networks.