On May 7, 2025, at around 10:00 am UTC, the Ethereum network launched its latest upgrade called Pectra . This update brings important changes that improve how users interact with Ethereum, how staking works, and how fast the network can process transactions.
In this article, we’ll explain what the Pectra upgrade is, which updates are included, and why they matter — all in simple terms.
What Is the Ethereum Pectra Upgrade?
The Pectra upgrade is a set of improvements designed to make Ethereum more user-friendly, scalable, and efficient. It includes several Ethereum Improvement Proposals (EIPs) , which are like software updates for the blockchain.
Some of the main EIPs in this upgrade are:
- EIP-7702 : Lets regular wallets work like smart contracts.
- EIP-7251 : Allows bigger staking deposits.
- EIP-7691 : Helps layer-2 networks run faster and cheaper.
- EIP-6110 : Makes it easier to add new validators to the network.
Now let’s take a closer look at each one.
EIP-7702: Smarter Wallets, Simpler Experience
Thanks to EIP-7702, normal crypto wallets can now behave like smart contracts under certain conditions. In simple terms, this means:
- Users can pay gas fees using tokens other than ETH.
- No need to approve every transaction manually.
- Apps can do certain actions automatically on behalf of users, within safe limits.
This change makes the experience smoother for newcomers , similar to how Web2 apps work today.
“It enables a Web2-like UX by hiding many of the underlying scaffolding from users.”
– 0xAw, Lead Developer at Alien.Base
However, there are some risks. For example, if a user signs a bad message, it could lead to loss of funds. But experts believe that as long as developers use this feature carefully, the benefits outweigh the dangers.
EIP-7251: Better Staking for Big Players
Before Pectra, users or institutions had to create a new validator for every 32 ETH they wanted to stake. That meant managing many keys and dealing with slow exits.
With EIP-7251, the maximum staking amount per validator jumps to 2,048 ETH . As a result:
- Institutions can manage their stakes more easily.
- The exit process is much faster — down from over 13 hours to just 13 minutes .
Artemiy Parshakov from P2P.org said this update helps big players join Ethereum staking without too much trouble.
EIP-7691: Faster and Cheaper Transactions
EIP-7691 allows more data blobs per block , which helps layer-2 networks like Arbitrum, Optimism, and Base process transactions more quickly and cheaply.
Because of this, users can expect:
- Lower fees when using decentralized apps.
- Faster confirmation times.
- A better experience overall on Ethereum-based platforms.
Sergej Kunz from 1inch said this part of the upgrade helps Ethereum scale better and supports future upgrades like gasless transactions.
EIP-6110: Making Validator Deposits Easier
EIP-6110 improves how new validators join the network. Instead of waiting for votes on deposit data, the information is now included directly in execution-layer blocks.
While this change caused some problems on testnets earlier, developers have fixed most issues. They are confident it will work well on the main Ethereum network.
How Will This Affect Everyday Users?
To sum up, the Pectra upgrade makes Ethereum:
- More user-friendly thanks to smarter wallets.
- More scalable due to better support for layer-2 solutions.
- More efficient for institutional stakers.
Ivo Georgiev from Ambire explained that these changes will completely improve the user experience , giving wallets more control over app permissions and reducing the number of pop-ups users see.
Final Thoughts
The Ethereum Pectra upgrade is live , and it marks an important step forward for the network. While some challenges remain, especially around security and adoption, the foundation is now in place for Ethereum to grow even further.
As developers continue building on top of these features, users can look forward to a smoother, safer, and more powerful Ethereum ecosystem.
