Ethereum Foundation has published three protocol development priorities for 2026

The Ethereum Foundation has reshaped its development roadmap, highlighting three key priorities that will determine the protocol’s evolution in the coming years. Amid market skepticism and forecasts of ETH dropping below $1,000, the project’s official priorities demonstrate a focus on long-term growth and stability. These three areas address critical questions about Ethereum’s future and which aspects of the protocol will require the most intensive development.

Priority #1: Scaling through increased throughput

The first priority focuses on Ethereum’s technical scalability. The main goal is to raise the base layer (L1) gas limit from around 60 million to 100 million or more, while expanding capacity for Layer 2 solutions through blob technology.

In the context of Ethereum, gas represents the network’s throughput capacity: the higher the gas limit, the more transactions and smart contract actions can be processed in a single block. However, increasing this parameter requires comprehensive optimizations of client software, network architecture, and overload protection mechanisms.

Key areas of this priority include:

• Gradually increasing the gas limit to 100 million and beyond
• Preparing infrastructure for parallel transaction processing
• Continuing blob scaling for efficient data transfer to L2 solutions

Implementing this priority will directly impact the overall ecosystem’s throughput and reduce base fees for L2 users.

Priority #2: Improving user experience and L2 synergy

The second priority aims to transform Ethereum from a technical system requiring deep engineering knowledge into an accessible consumer product. This involves rethinking how users interact with the protocol.

Development focuses include:

• Implementing default smart wallets to simplify asset management
• Creating seamless interfaces between different L2 solutions, so transitions feel like navigation within a single app rather than crossing multiple bridges with multiple signatures
• Reducing friction in interactions involving fees and gas
• Enhancing compatibility and integration within the L2 ecosystem

Focusing on UX reflects an understanding that technical achievements are meaningless if ordinary users cannot easily utilize them. This priority is critical for attracting mass adoption.

Priority #3: Strengthening the base layer as a trust anchor

The third priority is a new direction in the official agenda, emphasizing the preservation of Ethereum’s value and reliability as the first layer during its expansion.

Main areas of L1 strengthening include:

• Enhancing security and protection of the core protocol infrastructure
• Ensuring network resilience against censorship and external threats
• Proactively preparing for post-quantum challenges, even though this threat is not immediate, foundational work begins early

This priority underscores the need not only to develop scalability but also to maintain Ethereum as a trustworthy foundational layer upon which the entire ecosystem depends.

Projected outcomes for the market and users

If the Ethereum Foundation successfully implements all three priorities, the market should see the following changes: Layer 2 solutions will become significantly cheaper and faster, entry barriers for new users will decrease thanks to improved UX, and the Ethereum base layer will retain its role as a “trust anchor” and final refuge for critical operations.

Currently, ETH faces intense skepticism, especially from participants who bought tokens above $3,000 and remain in loss-making positions, fearing a full bear market or even complete devaluation of the asset. However, the long-term probability of “Ethereum’s death” is roughly comparable to that of “Bitcoin’s death”—meaning it remains unlikely in the long run.

Regarding modest results in the current market cycle for ETH, this assessment is fair. But without 100% certainty that the cycle will complete (and such certainty cannot exist), forecasts should be based on the fundamental development priorities that the Ethereum Foundation demonstrates in its official roadmap.