Ethereum Foundation Sets 2026 Priorities: Gas, UX, Post-Quantum
The Ethereum Foundation on Wednesday outlined its “protocol priorities” for 2026, targeting faster transaction confirmations, enhanced smart-wallet functionality, improved cross-chain interoperability, and security measures designed to be resilient against quantum threats.
The foundation said it plans to continue raising Ethereum’s gas limit “toward and beyond” 100 million. The gas limit — the maximum computational work that can be included in a block — remained a central topic of discussion across the community in 2025.
Some community members expect a notable increase this year. In November, Ethereum educator Anthony Sassano said that targeting a gas limit of 180 million in 2026 should be viewed as a baseline rather than a best-case outcome.
Ethereum prioritizes post-quantum readiness
The foundation highlighted the Glamsterdam network upgrade, scheduled for the first half of 2026, as a key milestone. It also listed “post-quantum readiness” as a priority within its trillion-dollar security initiative.
On Jan. 24, Ethereum researcher Justin Drake said in an X post that the foundation had formed a new Post-Quantum (PQ) team. “Today marks an inflection in the Ethereum Foundation’s long-term quantum strategy,” Drake said.
The foundation added that improving user experience remains a focus for 2026, with plans to advance smart wallets via native account abstraction and to streamline cross-chain activity through interoperability. “The goal remains seamless, trust-minimized cross-L2 interactions, and we’re getting closer day by day. Continued progress on faster L1 confirmations and shorter L2 settlement times directly supports this.”
It described 2025 as one of its most productive years, citing two major network upgrades — Pectra and Fusaka — and the community’s decision to raise the gas limit from 30 million to 60 million between those upgrades, marking the first increase since 2021.
Buterin outlines plans for Ethereum and AI
Ethereum Foundation’s Mario Havel said in an X post on Wednesday, “It took us a while to push out the announcement because we were preparing the biggest curriculum so far.”
The update follows Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin’s Feb. 10 comments on the intersection of Ethereum and artificial intelligence. Buterin said the two could work together to improve markets, financial safety, and human agency. He added that his broader view for AI is to empower humans rather than replace them, while the near term involves more “ordinary” ideas.
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