Ethereum's Glamsterdam Upgrade Aims to Address MEV Fairness Issues

Ethereum developers are moving ahead on planning the blockchain's next major upgrade named Glamsterdam. This upgrade encompasses two simultaneous changes: the Amsterdam upgrade for the execution layer and the Gloas upgrade for the consensus layer.

A key feature of Glamsterdam is enshrined Proposer-Builder Separation, or ePBS, tracked as EIP-7732. This proposal aims to separate block builders from those who propose them, thus preventing any single actor from controlling transaction inclusion or order.

Currently, this separation depends on off-chain relays, which introduce centralization risks. Under ePBS, block builders will assemble blocks and cryptographically seal their contents, while proposers select the highest-paying block without visibility into its contents.

This change is expected to reduce manipulation opportunities related to maximal extractable value, or MEV. Additionally, another proposal for Glamsterdam is Block-level Access Lists, known as EIP-7928, which allows blocks to declare in advance the accounts and smart-contract data they will access.

This should enhance efficiency in block execution and potentially smooth gas costs. The full scope of Glamsterdam has not been finalized, with more Ethereum Improvement Proposals expected soon. Although developers have not set a specific date, the upgrade is anticipated to occur in 2026.

According to CoinDesk, the Glamsterdam upgrade is crucial for improving fairness within the Ethereum ecosystem, addressing the ongoing concerns surrounding MEV impacts on the network.