Breaking: Shanghai upgrade executed on testnet but not without issues

March 15, 2023 admin

Ethereum validators are now one step away from being able to unstake their Ether from the Beacon Chain.

The Shapella hard fork has been executed on the Goerli testnet — the last test run before Ethereum validators will be able to withdraw their Ether (ETH) from the Beacon Chain.

There were, however, issues with the hard fork. Ethereum core developer Tim Beiko noted that while deposits were being processed, the process didn’t run as smoothly as it could have because several testnet validators didn’t upgrade their client software before the Goerli fork.

Deposits are being processed (https://t.co/CxYtPcGMCp), but it seems like several validators haven’t upgraded. Looking into it

One challenge with testnet validators is that given the ETH is worthless, there’s less incentive to run a validator/monitor it.

— timbeiko.eth (@TimBeiko) March 14, 2023

He blamed it on testnet validators having “less incentive” to make the upgrade given that the Goerli “ETH is worthless” but expects validators to make proper adjustments ahead of the fork on the Ethereum mainnet.

Through Ethereum Investment Proposal EIP-4895, staked ETH from the Beacon Chain will be “pushed” to the execution layer.

While the Shapella upgrade comprises five different EIPs, EIP-4895 has been by far the most anticipated one, as it moves Ethereum one step closer to a fully functional proof-of-stake system.

Shapella is now expected to take effect on the Ethereum mainnet in early April.

The execution on Goerli was shared in a March 15 live stream by EthStaker on YouTube.