Ethereum Foundation has published a comprehensive network development plan called "strawmap," outlining seven hard forks to be implemented by 2029. The document sets clear technical priorities: achieving transaction finality within seconds, processing 10,000 transactions per second directly on the first layer, as well as quantum resistance and built-in privacy.
What Is a Strawmap and Why It Matters
The term "strawmap" refers to a preliminary version of the roadmap, open for community discussion. The Foundation emphasizes that this plan is not final but rather an invitation for dialogue among developers, validators, and network users. Each upgrade will go through the EIP (Ethereum Improvement Proposals) process before implementation.
The document covers several key areas: scaling, security, privacy, and user experience improvements. Special attention is given to preparation for the quantum computing era, which could potentially threaten current cryptographic algorithms.
First Two Upgrades: Glamsterdam and Hegotá
The nearest hard forks will be Glamsterdam and Hegotá, scheduled for 2026. Glamsterdam will focus on gas cost optimization and improving interaction between the first and second layers. Hegotá will continue this work by introducing new data compression mechanisms for rollups.
Scaling: From Hundreds to Thousands of TPS
Currently, Ethereum's first-layer throughput is approximately 15-30 transactions per second. According to the strawmap, the network should reach 10,000 TPS without relying on L2 solutions. This will be achieved through the implementation of danksharding, new data structures, and parallel transaction processing.
Meanwhile, the second layer will continue to evolve as the primary tool for everyday operations. Increasing L1 capacity will provide greater security and data availability for rollups, ultimately reducing transaction costs for end users.
Quantum Resistance and Privacy
One of the most ambitious items in the plan is the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography. Although fully functional quantum computers have not yet been created, Ethereum Foundation considers it necessary to begin preparation now. Migration of cryptographic primitives is a lengthy and complex process, so an early start will provide sufficient time for a secure transition.
Built-in privacy at the protocol level means users will be able to conduct confidential transactions without third-party mixers or additional tools. This will fundamentally change the approach to protecting financial information on the network.
What This Means for the Market
The strawmap publication demonstrated the seriousness of Ethereum Foundation's intentions regarding long-term development. Competition from Solana, Sui, and other fast blockchains is pushing the Ethereum team to accelerate the implementation of critical upgrades. The ETH price responded with moderate growth amid an overall crypto market recovery.
For decentralized application developers, this roadmap provides a clear understanding of the platform's technical direction. Projects building on Ethereum can now plan their architecture with future network capabilities in mind.
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