Ethereum has completed the Merge on the Ropsten testnet. This is one of the final steps before the final Merge with the Ethereum mainnet that will take place later this year.
The Ethereum network has hit yet another major milestone, with the Merge successfully taking place on the Ropsten testnet yesterday. The move sets the stage for a full transition to proof-of-stake for the network, as Ropsten is one of the final testnets to experience the Beacon chain merge.
Ethereum first announced that Ropsten would undergo the Merge earlier in the week, news of which resulted in celebration within the crypto community. Transactions are already underway, and Ethereum developer Tim Beiko was among the many to recognize the achievement on Twitter. The crypto community was no less jubilant, though it was less data and more memes in their case.
The Merge results in the beacon chain, the proof-of-stake chain, merging with Ropsten’s previously proof-of-work chain. This merge, as was the case with merges with other testnets, is to check if the upgrade functions without any glitches. All of these steps are to ensure that the eventual merge with the mainnet goes off without a hitch.
There has been no date set yet for the merge with the Ethereum mainnet. It has been confirmed to happen later this year, and if it goes as smoothly as previous merges, Ethereum will have executed one of its biggest changes with spectacular efficiency.
With not long before the final Merge with the mainet, Ethereum is looking set to make what will be its biggest change in years. Investors highly anticipate the move, even if recent price changes have not been the kindest.
Ethereum sees no hiccups as proof-of-stake gets closer
Ethereum’s efforts with the transition so far have been very encouraging. ETH staking has increased steadily, and considerably, over the past few months. Currently, there is a total of 13.4 million ETH staked, which is over 10% of the total supply.
The final Merge should take place in late Q3 or early Q4 2022, according to Vitalik Buterin himself. However, it may happen as early as Aug if there are no issues.
The developments following the Merge are even more promising. While it focuses on decentralization, the scaling method of sharding follows it and will truly benefit all Ethereum uses. The network is taking a methodical, steady approach to its development, which so far has been very effective.