Pectra update has become the largest technical change in Ethereum since the transition of the network to the Proof-Of-Stake algorithm. It was activated on May 7, 2025 and immediately united 11 so -called EIP – proposals for improving the protocol. The update passed a series of tests in Ethereum test networks (Holesky, Sepolia and Hoodi), and now officially earned in the main one, writes RBC Crypto.
The developers call Pectra a preparatory stage for the following large updates, but now it changes the rules of the game: makes the wallets smarter, validators are more effective, and L2 networks are faster and cheaper. We talk about key changes and accessingly explain how they will affect users, projects and infrastructure players.
Important terms for understanding: EIP (Ethereum Improvement Proposal) Offer to improve the Ethereum protocol. It is in the EIP format that changes are made in the network code. Each EIP undergoes discussion, testing and, when approved, is included in the network update. Smart contracts of the program that work inside the blockchain. Performed automatically upon the occurrence of specified conditions. Used to exchange tokens, launch of Defi protocols, the creation of NFT and other actions without intermediaries. Rollups (Rollups) and second -level network (Layer 2, L2) Ethereum scaling technologies. Transactions outside the main network are processed, and then the compressed data in Ethereum is published. This reduces blockchain load and makes operations faster and cheaper. The most famous examples are Arbitrum, Optim, Base, Zksync. Execution Layer / Consensus Layer two levels of Ethereum architecture: Execution Layer is responsible for performing transactions and the operation of smart contracts, Consensus Layer-for the finalization of blocks and the procedure for their inclusion in the chain. Blob / Blob Space temporary data storage for Layer 2-networks. It is used by rolls to publish transactions in the main Ethereum network, helps reduce the commission and accelerate processing. Steering / Validator Stayking is an ETH lock to support the network. Validators are participants who confirm transactions and form blocks, receiving a reward for this.
EIP-7702. Account abstraction and “smart” wallets
One of the main innovations of Pectra’s update was the implementation of the principle of account abstraction. This means that ordinary wallets (for example, Metamask) can now perform the functions of smart contracts. In practice, this gives users more flexibility: applications are able to take the commission not in ETH, but in another token, for example, in USDT. If earlier for the exchange of USDT it was necessary to have ETH on the balance sheet to pay for the commission, now you can conduct an operation by paying the commission directly from those funds that you already have on your wallet.
Also now it is possible to combine several actions into one transaction (for example, approval, exchange and sending tokens). This saves time, reduces commissions and simplifies work with Defi Protocols.
In addition, new opportunities will allow you to realize more familiar scenarios: authorization via Face ID instead of a password, restoration of access through proxies and other functions that users of ordinary applications are used to. As planned by developers, all this makes Web3 closer to the experience of a mass user.
EIP-7251. Effective staying for large participants
Previously, on the Ethereum network, one validator could take no more than 32 ETH in a staying. Everything that exceeded this limit, it was necessary to divide into separate “slots” – in fact, create new validators. This complicated life for institutional players, and for those who launched their own nodes. With the EIP-7251, the limit has grown to 2048 ETH per validator.
Why do you need it? For example, if a large platform wanted to cover 3200 ETH, before it needed to create 100 separate validators, each with its own set of keys, monitoring and infrastructure. Now you can do with only two. This reduces the load on the network, simplifies maintenance and reduces costs.
For an ordinary user, this may not seem so important, but in practice it is an increase in performance for large participants: exchanges, steiling services or Defi platforms. It is easier for them to manage customer means, which means that they can offer more favorable conditions, quickly connect new users and less often face technical malfunctions.
EIP-7691. Less commission for second -level networks
This update directly applies to users so -called rolls like Arbitrum and Optimism, which work on top of Ethereum as a second -level network. It increases the volume of special “blobs”-temporary data storage facilities that L2 networks are used to publish their transactions in the main blockchain. Now there can be such blides in one block up to nine instead of six.
What does this mean in practice? When you use cheap L2 networks, for example, exchange tokens in Arbitrum, your transactions are ultimately published in the main Ethereum network. The more efficiently these data are packaged, the cheaper the operations are. An increase in the limit by the number of blobs means more space for such transactions. Accordingly, commissions in L2-networks will become lower and more stable, especially during peak load hours.
This is especially important as users of the rolls are expanded, they are now increasingly becoming the main way to interact with Ethereum. Thanks to the EIP-7691, projects will be able to scale faster, and users can spend less on the commission at the same speed and reliability.
EIP-7002. Management of the withdrawal of funds through smart contracts
This update performs operations with validators more flexible and safe. Previously, to withdraw from stakeing and withdrawal of funds, the participation of the consensus level keys, which should be constantly active and on the network, were required. This created risks: if such a key is compromised, the attacker can affect the validator or withdraw funds.
With the EIP-7002, it became possible to control the release of validators and withdraw funds through the Execution Layer-that part of Ethereum, which is responsible for conventional transactions and smart contracts. Now the exit from stakeing and withdrawal of funds can be initiated through conventional transactions or built-in logic of a smart contract.
This is important for steiling services and large players who need to manage dozens or hundreds of validators. Instead of relying on hot keys, they can configure a safer and transparent output procedure, for example, with delays, multi -signature or other protection measures.
This does not affect the experience of retail users directly, but in the long run increases the safety of the entire system. This is especially true for decentralized services that build products based on Ethereum and control validators on behalf of users.
EIP-6110. Quick launch of validators
Previously, after a deposit in staying, I had to wait up to 12 hours, while the network processes an application through the consensus layer. EIP-6110 translates this function into Execution Layer, and now the new validators are activated in just 13 minutes.
For large stake pools, this means the ability to more accurately control liquidity flows: validators can be launched almost in real time, which is especially important with a sharp increase in interest in stakeing or during significant movements in the market. In this case, the implementation of functions like auto -deposits and the instant distribution of user funds is simplified.
Ordinary users may not notice this directly. But in the future, this creates the basis for services where the means are automatically launched into stakeing immediately after replenishment, and activation occurs almost without expectation. Improvement also reduces the technical load on operators, which is important, for example, for large pools that process many real -time applications.
Internal improvements
Pectra update includes a number of improvements that do not affect the user’s interface directly, but make the network faster and more stable.
EIP-2935 allows smart contracts to access the hashas of recent blocks without contacting external services. This is important for oracles and inter -sequences.
EIP-7623 makes data storage in the usual format more expensive to push projects to use “blobs”, which were mentioned above. This helps to unload the network and reduce the commissions.
EIP-2537 accelerates the processing of cryptographic operations (in particular, BLS subscriptions) that are used in stakeing. This reduces the load on the network and can reduce costs for infrastructure providers.
EIP-7685, EIP-7549 and EIP-7840 make improvements to the Ethereum architecture: optimize the work between layers, increase stability and make the calculation of commissions more predictable.
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Source: Cryptocurrency

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